Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy Can Enhance Sports Medicine Injuries

    VANCOUVER, BC, February 15, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dr. Martin Braun of Vancouver Laser and Skin Care Centre is using the healing power of platelet rich plasma therapy for Vancouver men and women with sports injuries.

A recent study conducted in Italy indicated that this treatment, when used for sports-related injuries, can reduce pain while improving the function of the areas injected, such as knees. Shoulders and ankles are also very amenable to this procedure.

"Intense sports such as skiing, football and golf are increasingly popular, but they often lead to injuries, or chronic discomfort from a inflammatory process like tendinitis," Dr. Braun says. "Because I know how challenging it can be for someone who's active to be sidelined by an injury, I consistently study the latest sports medicine options. I am highly impressed with the studies showing the success of this therapy. Consequently, for my sports medicine patients in Vancouver, platelet rich therapy has become one the primary and the most effective options."

"PRP therapy is particularly useful for joint and soft tissue injuries," Dr. Braun says. Fully healing these injuries used to be a major challenge, and many athletes were left with residual pain and physical limitations. Now, Dr. Braun, together with in-house orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Ralph Belle, is getting outstanding results using PRP for the repair ligaments, tendons and cartilage.

"This treatment is ideal for athletes who want to avoid surgery and the resulting downtime," Dr. Braun says. He adds that, "More recently, international professional basketball players have come to Vancouver Laser and Skin Care and Dr. Ralph Belle, has done very successful PRP treatments with great outcomes. We take a few vials of their blood, which we process to separate out the platelet-rich plasma. We then inject the platelets into the injured area, such as a knee joint. And unlike the Selphyll TM system which only has platelets in a concentration of 2-8X, our method is a highly concentrated version with platelets in a 23-90X concentration."

The PRP injections stimulate the healing process and help the body heal faster and more completely. The number of injections and length of time needed for the regenerative healing process vary based on the extent of the injury.

"There is minimal downtime required for PRP therapy," Dr. Braun says. "We simply numb the area to be injected with a local anesthetic, which wears off in just a few hours. Our athletic patients are delighted to learn that they only need to reduce their activities for a few days after the injections."

Dr. Braun and Dr. Belle also use PRP therapy for early osteoarthritis. Although the precise cause of this condition is not known, knee osteoarthritis frequently occurs in athletes involved in activities such as football, particularly those who have had prior knee injuries.

Vancouver Laser and Skin Care Centre was founded by Dr. Martin Braun and Susan Braun in 1996 to offer advanced skin rejuvenation and laser hair removal. Vancouver patients enjoy a private and comfortable environment where they have access to a full spectrum of nonsurgical skin care treatments. Dr. Braun has trained with leading physicians in the fields of cosmetic dermatology and aesthetic laser medicine. He uses this training and his extensive experience to create beautiful and natural looking results for his patients.

Website: http://www.vancouverlaser.com

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