PRP Therapy for Joints
By Charles Kamen, MD, board-certified neurologist
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy concentrates the growth factors in your own blood and injects them into a damaged joint or tendon to stimulate repair. Multiple clinical studies show PRP injections reduce pain and improve function in knee osteoarthritis compared to placebo or hyaluronic acid injections. [2]
Dr. Charles Kamen, MD, a board-certified neurologist at LiveNow Longevity in Las Vegas, offers PRP as a regenerative approach to joint health — supporting the body's own healing so patients can recover and stay active. Individual results vary.
What Is PRP Therapy?
PRP is a concentrate of platelets prepared from a small sample of your own blood. Platelets carry alpha granules packed with growth factors that initiate and accelerate tissue repair, so concentrating them and delivering them into injured tissue amplifies the body's natural healing signal. [1]
The blood is spun in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate the platelets, and the resulting platelet-rich solution is injected into the damaged or degenerated tissue. Because the material comes entirely from you, there is no risk of rejection or disease transmission from a donor.
How Does PRP Promote Healing?
PRP promotes healing by delivering a concentrated dose of growth factors directly to injured tissue, where they signal local cells to multiply, recruit a new blood supply, and rebuild connective tissue. These are the same molecules your body already uses to repair itself — PRP simply concentrates them and targets the site that needs them:
- PDGF (Platelet-Derived Growth Factor): stimulates cell replication and new blood vessel formation, an early step in any repair
- TGF-β (Transforming Growth Factor Beta): regulates cell growth and differentiation, guiding tissue remodeling
- VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor): promotes new blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to healing tissue
- EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor): supports cell proliferation and tissue repair
- FGF (Fibroblast Growth Factor): supports the connective-tissue repair that stabilizes joints and tendons
What Joint Conditions Can PRP Treat?
PRP is used across a range of joint and soft-tissue conditions, most commonly osteoarthritis and tendon injuries that have not fully responded to rest or physical therapy. It is applied to the knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, and elbow, and tends to work best where there is degeneration or partial injury rather than a complete structural tear:
- Osteoarthritis (knee, hip, shoulder, ankle)
- Rotator cuff injuries and partial tears
- Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
- Patellar tendinitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Labral tears (shoulder and hip)
- Cartilage damage and early-stage degeneration
How Strong Is the Evidence for PRP in Joints?
Clinical research supports PRP for osteoarthritis and tendinopathy. Multiple studies show PRP injections reduce pain and improve function in knee osteoarthritis compared to placebo or hyaluronic acid injections, and the evidence base for musculoskeletal use has continued to grow. [2]
PRP is one of several biologic therapies used in regenerative sports medicine for musculoskeletal conditions. [4] Results are generally more favorable in early-stage degeneration than in advanced arthritis, which is why careful patient selection matters.
What Does PRP Treatment Involve?
A PRP treatment is a short in-office procedure built around your own blood. Dr. Kamen draws a small sample, concentrates the platelets, and injects them into the target joint or tendon under ultrasound guidance for precise delivery, followed by a period of rest before you gradually return to activity:
- Blood draw (similar to routine lab work)
- Centrifugation to separate and concentrate platelets
- Injection into the target tissue under ultrasound guidance
- Post-injection rest and activity modification
- Follow-up assessment and potential additional injections
How PRP Supports Recovery and Staying Active
For active patients, the goal of PRP is functional: less joint pain, better movement, and a durable return to the activities that keep you strong and mobile. By working with the body's own repair biology rather than only masking symptoms, PRP fits a regenerative, healthspan-focused approach to joint health.
Staying active is itself one of the most powerful longevity levers — it protects muscle, bone, and metabolic health — so keeping a joint working well matters far beyond the joint. Dr. Kamen evaluates whether PRP, alone or alongside other regenerative options, fits your specific condition and activity goals.
Key Takeaways
- PRP is made from your own blood, concentrating platelets and their growth factors to stimulate tissue repair.
- Clinical studies show PRP reduces pain and improves function in knee osteoarthritis versus placebo or hyaluronic acid.
- It is used for osteoarthritis, rotator cuff and tendon injuries, tennis and golfer's elbow, patellar tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and labral tears.
- Results are generally more favorable in early-stage degeneration than in advanced arthritis.
- Some patients respond to a single injection; others benefit from a series of 2-3 injections spaced several weeks apart.
- Dr. Kamen uses ultrasound guidance for precise delivery and builds an individualized plan in Las Vegas.
Common Questions
Is PRP the same as stem cell therapy?
No. PRP uses the platelets and growth factors concentrated from your own blood, while stem cell therapy uses living cells with different regenerative potential. Both are forms of regenerative medicine, but they work through different mechanisms, and PRP is the more established and widely studied option for joint conditions.
How many PRP injections will I need?
Treatment protocols vary by condition and severity. Some patients respond well to a single injection, while others benefit from a series of 2-3 injections spaced several weeks apart. Dr. Kamen develops an individualized plan based on your diagnosis, imaging, and response to the first treatment.
How long until I notice results from PRP?
PRP works gradually because it stimulates biological healing rather than delivering immediate pain relief. Some patients notice improvement within a few weeks, while others need 2-3 months to experience the full benefit as tissue repairs. Healing is a progressive process, and results build over time rather than appearing overnight.
Can PRP help me stay active and recover from a joint injury?
PRP is often chosen specifically to help active patients recover and return to movement. By concentrating your own growth factors at the injury site, it supports the tissue repair that underlies durable joint function. Results vary by condition, and Dr. Kamen assesses whether PRP fits your injury and activity goals.
Can PRP help with advanced arthritis?
PRP is most effective in early to moderate arthritis, where there is still tissue capable of responding to growth factors. In advanced degeneration, the response is generally less pronounced. Dr. Kamen evaluates your imaging and symptoms to determine whether PRP is appropriate or whether another approach would serve you better.
Is PRP covered by insurance?
Most insurance plans currently consider PRP experimental for joint applications and do not cover it, though this varies by plan and region. Our office can review the details of your specific case and provide clear cost information so you can make an informed decision before scheduling treatment.
PRP therapy offers a regenerative approach to joint health that draws on the body's own healing factors to support recovery and keep you active. Consult with Dr. Kamen to determine whether PRP therapy is appropriate for your joint condition.
References
- Marx RE. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2004;62(4):489-496. (Platelet-rich plasma: evidence to support its use; platelet growth factors).
- Bennell KL, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2024;58(9):517-527.
- Andia I, Maffulli N. Sports Med. 2017;47(5):807-828. (Biological therapies in regenerative sports medicine; platelet-rich plasma for musculoskeletal conditions).
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