Advanced Treatment Options for Old Sports Injuries

If you’ve been walking around with one or more old, untreated sports injuries for years — or even decades — you’re not alone.

When we’re younger, we often ignore what seem to be minor injuries, especially if we want to “get back in the game.” We tend to believe the pain will eventually go away on its own. As we get older, many of us avoid seeking treatment for our old sports injuries due to time constraints, fear of surgery, or concerns about the cost of medical care and rehabilitation. Instead of getting the care we need when we need it, we adapt to living with discomfort.

The trouble is, that back, knee, or shoulder injuries we sustained in high school typically don’t heal well on their own, and can present long-term effects as we age. 

If your old sports injuries are left untreated, they can leave you with lingering pain, stiffness, or reduced mobility. You can also develop chronic conditions such as arthritis, tendinitis, or recurring joint pain, which can hinder your physical performance and your ability to perform daily activities.

Ignoring injuries may also lead to greater complications, making treatment more complex and recovery longer in the future. Over time, compensating for those injuries can also strain other parts of your body, increasing your risk of further injury. 

Properly addressing your old sports injuries is essential for preventing long-term damage and improving your overall quality of life. 

NEW TREATMENTS FOR OLD INJURIES

At Direct Orthopedic Care (DOC), we offer the most comprehensive options available for the relief of chronic and debilitating pain from decades-old sports injuries. Key among these options are new regenerative medicine orthobiologics that utilize your body’s own natural healing power.

Regenerative medicine orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) treatment can help heal your old sports injuries by harnessing your body’s natural healing abilities.

Minimally invasive and offering quicker recovery, these advanced therapies help alleviate your pain, restore your mobility, and potentially eliminate the need for more invasive procedures like surgery.

PRP Therapy

Platelets are tiny cells in your blood that are rich in proteins called growth factors that act like messengers in the body, telling your cells when it’s time to heal, grow, or repair damaged tissue. They play a crucial role in your body’s healing process by promoting cell regeneration, reducing inflammation, and encouraging tissue repair. 

PRP therapy involves drawing a small amount of your blood, processing it to concentrate the platelets, and then injecting the concentrated solution directly into the injured (or degenerated) area.

This treatment option can provide significant relief for untreated sports injuries, like tendonitis, joint issues, or ligament sprains. It’s especially effective if you’re dealing with chronic knee pain from meniscus tears or old injuries to your shoulder or Achilles tendon. 

Unlike pain medications that only mask symptoms, PRP undoes the underlying damage of your untreated or improperly healed injuries, stimulating your body’s own healing mechanisms to repair tissues more effectively.

PRP is very safe with minimal-to-no known side effects. You may experience some temporary soreness at the site of injection and should refrain from significant physical activity or sports activities for a week after the procedure. You will re-evaluated in follow-up visits after the procedure to make sure your recovery process is proceeding according to plan.

BMAC Treatment

BMAC treatment — commonly referred to as stem cell therapy — involves extracting bone marrow from the center of your hip or pelvic bone and processing it to concentrate stem cells, growth factors, and other healing components. This concentrated solution is then injected into the site of the injury, targeting your damaged tissues such as ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bones.

Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue that is found in the center of your bones. It is also the section of the body where blood is generated. The stem cells used in BMAC can differentiate themselves into various kinds of cells, as well as replicate themselves into various types of tissue, which can help to speed up the healing process by triggering your body’s healing response and promoting tissue growth.

BMAC treatment is effective for untreated sports injuries like osteoarthritis, joint degeneration, or long-term tendon or ligament damage. It has shown promise in treating conditions like chronic knee pain, rotator cuff injuries, cartilage damage, and joint injuries that haven’t been treated or that haven’t healed properly through conventional methods.

BMAC treatments are a little more involved than PRP therapy. While the entire treatment takes about two hours to complete and you can go home the same day, the number of treatments you require depends on the complexity of your injury. Also, while BMAC is minimally invasive with fewer risks than surgical options, you may experience soreness, pain, mild bruising, swelling, and/or stiffness at the bone marrow extraction site for a few days after the procedure. 

The benefits of BMAC far outweigh the side effects, however, as you can experience reduced pain, improved mobility, and enhanced joint function, allowing you to return to daily activities with less discomfort.

NOT JUST FOR SPORTS INJURIES

While the term “sports injury” refers to the kinds of injuries that most commonly occur during sports or exercise, these types of injuries aren’t limited to athletes. For example, construction workers can suffer shoulder injuries, factory workers can get tennis elbow, and landscapers can develop tendonitis. Basically, these same types of injuries can happen while doing all kinds of activities. 

Not only can both PRP therapy and BMAC treatments benefit active people with kinds of old, untreated injuries, they can also help you if you’ve had new or recent injuries — often with the added benefit of helping to prevent chronic conditions that can develop over time.

Is an old sports injury keeping you from performing at the top of your game? At Direct Orthopedic Care (DOC), we offer the fastest and most cost-efficient orthopedic care available, all at a fraction of the cost of an emergency room visit. Contact us to learn more about how regenerative medicine orthobiologics can help alleviate your chronic and debilitating pain.