PRP therapy FAQ

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy concentrates the healing platelets from a small sample of your own blood and injects them, under ultrasound guidance, into an injured joint, tendon or ligament. The growth factors trigger your body's natural repair response over the following weeks, treating the cause of pain rather than masking it.

The centrifuge systems used to prepare PRP are 510(k)-cleared medical devices, but PRP is not FDA drug-approved for a specific orthopedic indication. Because PRP is made from your own blood, it isn't regulated like a manufactured drug. PRP has been used in medicine for more than 30 years.

Yes, PRP has an excellent safety profile across 30+ years of medical use. Because it's made from your own blood (autologous), there's no risk of rejection or allergic reaction to a foreign substance. The most common side effect is temporary soreness at the injection site for a few days.

PRP has strong evidence for knee osteoarthritis, tennis and golfer's elbow, and chronic plantar fasciitis; mixed/modest evidence for rotator cuff tendinopathy and hip arthritis; and weak evidence for Achilles tendinopathy. We grade every condition honestly, see our conditions pages for the research behind each one.

At Island Orthobiologics, PRP runs $1,200–$3,000 cash-pay, depending on how many areas are treated and how many sessions you need. Pricing is published up front, no mystery quotes or pressure.

Usually not. Most insurers classify PRP as investigational and don't cover it. We provide detailed receipts you can submit, but you should expect PRP to be an out-of-pocket, cash-pay treatment.

Medicare covers PRP only for chronic, non-healing diabetic wounds, not for orthopedic joint, tendon or ligament injections. For musculoskeletal PRP, expect to pay out of pocket.

Generally yes, HSA and FSA funds are typically eligible for PRP as a medical expense, and we provide itemized receipts. Confirm with your specific plan administrator before treatment, since rules can vary.

There's a small needle for the blood draw and another for the injection, so you'll feel a pinch and some pressure. Most patients tolerate it well. It's normal to have soreness at the injection site for 2–4 days afterward as the healing response begins.

We draw a small sample of your blood, spin it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets to roughly 5–10× their normal level, then Dr. Hock injects that concentrate exactly where you're injured using real-time ultrasound guidance. The whole visit takes about 45 minutes, in-office.

Most patients need a series of 1–3 injections spaced about 4–6 weeks apart. The exact number depends on the condition, knee arthritis often does best with three injections, while tennis elbow may respond to a single one. Dr. Hock sets expectations after examining you.

PRP heals on a biological timeline, not a pharmaceutical one. After 2–4 days of expected soreness, most people notice gradual improvement over 4–12 weeks as the tissue repairs. This is real healing, not the instant masking you get from cortisone.

Because PRP stimulates actual tissue repair rather than masking inflammation, relief tends to last considerably longer than a cortisone shot, often many months. For arthritis, results vary with the severity of the joint; some patients repeat treatment periodically to maintain the benefit.

About 80–90% of appropriately selected candidates improve. Success depends heavily on the condition: tennis elbow reaches ~73% long-term success versus ~49% for cortisone, while Achilles tendinopathy shows no benefit over placebo. Matching the right patient to the right condition is the whole point.

Not everyone responds, and we're honest about that up front. If PRP doesn't help, Dr. Hock, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, will discuss the next options, whether that's a different conservative approach or, when truly needed, surgery. He'd rather guide you to what works than keep treating something that isn't.

Cortisone works fast but its relief fades within 6–12 weeks and repeated shots can weaken tendon and cartilage. PRP works gradually over weeks but stimulates real healing and lasts longer. For chronic tendon problems like tennis elbow and plantar fasciitis, PRP is often the better long-term choice; for fast, short-term relief, cortisone still has a role.

PRP uses concentrated platelets from your blood; stem-cell and BMAC therapies use cell-based products from bone marrow or fat and are a different, more involved procedure. Island Orthobiologics offers PRP only, we don't provide stem-cell or BMAC therapy, and we won't oversell what we don't do.

Good candidates typically have mild-to-moderate arthritis or a chronic tendon injury, have tried conservative care without lasting relief, and have a problem in a well-supported area (knee, elbow, plantar fascia). PRP is less suitable for end-stage bone-on-bone arthritis, full-thickness tendon tears, or anyone expecting a guaranteed instant fix.

No referral is needed. You can request a consultation directly, or take our 2-minute candidacy assessment to get an honest first read on whether PRP is likely to help your specific injury.

Take the 2-minute online assessment or request a consultation. Dr. Hock examines you, reviews imaging, and tells you honestly whether PRP fits your condition, even when the answer is no.