Elbow Pain: Golfers Elbow the role of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
Tampa, Saint Petersburg and Clearwater, Fl
Golfer elbow or medial epicondylitis, is a chronic tendonitis of the inside of the elbow (medial aspect). The medial epicondyle, is the insertion point for the wrist flexors. This group of muscles crosses the wrist with it’s origin on the elbow. The function of this muscle group is to flex or curl the wrist. Overuse and repetitive trauma result in chronic tendonitis or inflammation of these tendons. The common name is golfers elbow. Outside elbow pain that extends the wrist is known as lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. At times the overuse is not microscopically seen as inflammation and is truly known as a tendonopathy. This is not an inflammatory process, but more akin to tendon collagen breakdown or disarray similar to scarring or a fibrous reaction in the tendon portion of the muscle. A certainly abnormal situation. Both tendonitis and tendonopathies may be resistant to conservative measures with medications, rest, and therapy.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is being used more frequently to treat musculoskeletal injuries, after many elite athletes have turned to Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for treatment. PRP has been used successfully to treat both tennis elbow and golfers elbow. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a technique in which the patients own blood is spun in a centrifuge, and concentrated to deliver a enriched source of platelets. Platelets have long been known to participate in the clotting of blood. More recently, the understanding of the role of the growth factors released in the blood platelets have received more attention.
The PRP may be directly injected into an area that is injured to create a healing response. This may be done in joints such as the hip or knee, as well as in muscle tendons. Commonly injected tendons are the Achilles, hamstring, and about the elbow. The lateral epicondyle is affected in tennis elbow, and the medial epicondyle is affected in golfers elbow. Recalcitrant elbow pain may be treated with PRP. The use of Platelet Rich Plasma has been reported in many conditions, and is generally well tolerated and may expedite healing.
