Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection therapy is a non-surgical treatment used in sports and musculoskeletal medicine for selected tendon injuries, joint pain and osteoarthritis.
PRP is produced from a sample of your own blood. The platelets are concentrated and injected into the affected tissue or joint, with the aim of supporting the body’s natural healing response.
At Pro Sports Medicine in Cardiff, PRP is not offered as a standalone or “quick-fix” treatment. It forms part of a structured pathway combining accurate diagnosis, ultrasound-guided treatment and appropriate rehabilitation.
PRP stands for Platelet-Rich Plasma.
Platelets are components of your blood involved in healing and tissue repair. They contain growth factors and other biologically active proteins involved in the body’s response to injury.
During PRP treatment:
A small sample of your blood is taken.
The blood is processed to separate and concentrate the platelets.
The resulting platelet-rich plasma is injected into the target tendon, soft tissue or joint.
At Pro Sports Medicine, PRP injections are performed under ultrasound guidance, allowing the clinician to visualise the target area and accurately place the injection.
PRP is most commonly considered for persistent musculoskeletal conditions where symptoms have not responded adequately to rehabilitation alone.
PRP may be considered for conditions including:
Achilles tendinopathy
Patellar tendinopathy
Tennis elbow
Golfer’s elbow
Selected rotator cuff tendon injuries
Other persistent tendon problems
The decision to use PRP depends on the diagnosis, duration of symptoms, previous treatment and individual clinical findings.
PRP is also used in the management of selected joint conditions, particularly:
Knee osteoarthritis
Early degenerative joint changes
Persistent joint pain associated with osteoarthritis
PRP is one of several injection options available for osteoarthritis and will not necessarily be the most appropriate treatment for every patient.
Depending on the severity of osteoarthritis, symptoms and treatment goals, alternatives may include hyaluronic acid, nSTRIDE APS, Arthrosamid or Kiomedine injections.
The evidence for PRP varies according to the condition being treated.
There is growing evidence supporting PRP for some forms of tendinopathy and knee osteoarthritis, but outcomes are influenced by the diagnosis, PRP preparation, injection protocol and rehabilitation programme.
PRP should therefore not be presented as a guaranteed treatment.
At Pro Sports Medicine, the decision to recommend PRP is made following an appropriate clinical assessment and, where required, diagnostic imaging.
The objective is simple:
Use the right treatment for the right diagnosis.
Pain alone does not tell us which treatment you need.
For example, persistent tendon pain could be associated with tendinopathy, partial tendon injury, calcification, surrounding tissue pathology or another source of pain entirely.
Likewise, knee pain may be related to osteoarthritis, meniscal pathology, tendon problems or other conditions.
This is why the first stage of treatment at Pro Sports Medicine is diagnosis rather than injection.
Assessment may include:
Detailed clinical examination
Musculoskeletal ultrasound
MRI where appropriate
Review of previous imaging
Strength and functional assessment
Only once the diagnosis is clear should an injection treatment be considered.
Ultrasound guidance allows the clinician to visualise the target tissue during the procedure.
This can be particularly important when treating tendon pathology or when precise placement within a joint or around a specific anatomical structure is required.
At Pro Sports Medicine, PRP injections are performed using ultrasound guidance as part of our image-guided injection pathway.
There is no single PRP protocol suitable for every patient.
Some conditions may be treated with a single PRP injection, while others may require a series of treatments.
The number of injections recommended will depend on factors including:
The condition being treated
Severity and duration of symptoms
Previous treatment
Response to rehabilitation
Individual response following the first injection
Your clinician will discuss the recommended treatment strategy following assessment.
The injection is only one part of the recovery process.
For tendon injuries in particular, progressive rehabilitation remains central to restoring strength and tissue capacity.
Your post-injection programme may involve:
An initial period of relative rest or activity modification
Gradual reintroduction of tendon loading
Progressive strengthening
Restoration of movement and function
Sport-specific rehabilitation
Objective testing before returning to performance
The exact programme will depend on the tissue treated and your individual goals.
At Pro Sports Medicine, we combine PRP with a complete sports medicine pathway:
Identify the source of your symptoms through specialist assessment and imaging where required.
Determine whether PRP, another injection treatment or rehabilitation alone represents the most appropriate option.
Deliver targeted treatment, including ultrasound-guided PRP where clinically appropriate.
Restore strength, movement and tissue capacity through structured rehabilitation.
Progress back to sport, exercise, work or normal activity with appropriate testing and progression.
PRP is not automatically the best injection for every patient.
Pro Sports Medicine provides access to a range of injection therapies, allowing treatment to be selected according to the underlying diagnosis rather than offering the same injection to everyone.
Options may include:
PRP – commonly considered for selected tendon conditions and joint pathology
Hyaluronic acid – primarily used in mild to moderate osteoarthritis and degenerative joint pain
nSTRIDE APS – an autologous injection option for moderate knee osteoarthritis
Corticosteroid – used selectively where reducing inflammation is clinically appropriate
Arthrosamid – an injectable hydrogel treatment for moderate knee osteoarthritis
KiOmedine – another treatment option within the knee osteoarthritis pathway for those with severe OA, awaiting a total knee replacement
The appropriate treatment depends on the condition, severity, previous treatment and individual goals.
You may be suitable for assessment if you:
Have persistent tendon pain
Have a tendon injury that has not improved sufficiently with rehabilitation
Have knee osteoarthritis or degenerative joint pain
Have already tried appropriate conservative treatment
Want to explore non-surgical treatment options
Want a structured pathway combining treatment with rehabilitation
An assessment is required to determine whether PRP is appropriate.
Pro Sports Medicine provides ultrasound-guided PRP injections in Cardiff as part of our specialist Sports Medicine and Injection Therapy services.
Rather than simply treating the painful area, our aim is to establish the diagnosis, select the most appropriate treatment and provide the rehabilitation required afterwards.
If you are considering PRP for a tendon injury, joint pain or osteoarthritis, the first step is a specialist assessment.
Pro Sports Medicine
Cardiff Business Park, Llanishen, Cardiff
02920 762000
info@prosportsmedicine.co.uk
Book a Diagnosis Consultation to determine whether PRP injection therapy is appropriate for your condition.
A PRP injection uses platelet-rich plasma prepared from a sample of your own blood. The concentrated plasma is injected into a selected tendon, soft tissue or joint as part of the treatment of certain musculoskeletal conditions.
At Pro Sports Medicine, PRP injections are performed under ultrasound guidance to allow accurate visualisation and placement of the injection.
Sometimes. Other conditions may require more than one injection. The recommended protocol depends on the diagnosis and individual response to treatment.
PRP may be considered for persistent tendon problems such as Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy and tennis elbow, particularly when symptoms have not responded sufficiently to appropriate rehabilitation.
PRP is used as a non-surgical treatment option for selected patients with knee osteoarthritis. It is one of several injection treatments available, and suitability should be determined following clinical assessment.
For most tendon conditions, rehabilitation remains an important part of treatment. PRP does not replace the need to restore strength, capacity and function through progressive rehabilitation.
