Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) uses healing factors from your own blood to repair injured tendons, ligaments, and joints. At LAOSS, our specialists use PRP — alongside physical therapy — for the conditions where the evidence supports it, and tell you honestly when it isn't the right tool.
PRP for the conditions where it works — not for everything.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections use the healing factors from your own blood to accelerate tissue repair. A small blood draw — about the same volume as a routine lab test — is processed in a centrifuge that spins down the sample to concentrate the platelets. Those platelets release growth factors that signal injured tissue to remodel and heal. The resulting plasma is injected, usually under ultrasound guidance, directly into the damaged tendon, ligament, or joint.
At LAOSS we use PRP for the orthopedic problems where the evidence actually supports it: lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), patellar tendinopathy, mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, partial rotator cuff tears, and select Achilles tendinopathies. Where the data is thin or mixed, we'll tell you that — and walk you through whether a steroid injection, physical therapy, viscosupplementation, or surgery is a better fit.
A single PRP visit takes about 45 minutes from blood draw to discharge. Most patients return to normal daily activity the same day and resume their full sport or job over the following weeks as the tissue remodels.
If you have pain in your foot from plantar fasciitis, platelet-rich plasma therapy may help. It uses parts of your own blood to help your body heal itself. PRP can help your foot feel better and work better.
Animations licensed from ViewMedica · Swarm Interactive
Platelets carry the growth factors your body uses to repair connective tissue. By drawing a small amount of your blood, separating the platelet-rich plasma in a centrifuge, and injecting it under ultrasound guidance, we deliver a concentrated dose of those signals exactly where the tissue is damaged — not diluted through the bloodstream.
PRP is an in-office procedure — no incision, no general anesthesia, and you drive yourself home. Here's what a typical visit looks like at LAOSS:
Expect the treated area to be sore for 2–4 days — this is the inflammatory response that triggers healing, not a complication. Most patients notice gradual improvement starting around week 4, with full benefit landing between weeks 8 and 12.
PRP isn't the first thing we reach for — and it isn't always the right thing. For most tendinopathies and mild arthritis, conservative care comes first. PRP is one of several regenerative or interventional options if conservative care plateaus. Here's how we think about it:
We start here for almost everyone — most tendinopathies and mild arthritis improve without injection or surgery when the program is structured and given enough time.
When conservative care plateaus, we walk you through the choice between PRP, cortisone, viscosupplementation, and surgery — with honest data on what each one does and doesn't do.
Outcomes hinge on three things most patients never hear about: platelet concentration, leukocyte content, and whether the needle actually lands in the injured tissue.
We move stepwise — start with the least-invasive option that fits your situation, and only escalate if the data and your response say it's time.
If most of these match your situation, an evaluation with a PRP specialist is the next step.
These signs typically point toward an in-person evaluation to discuss PRP.
Your first visit is built to give you an answer the same day — including an honest take on whether PRP is the right tool.
PRP works on tissue biology, not pharmacology — so the timeline is measured in weeks of remodeling, not hours of pain relief.
Expect soreness at the injection site — this is the inflammatory healing response, not a complication.
Structured physical therapy paired with the injection is where most of the benefit gets locked in.
Most of the gain shows up between weeks 6 and 12. We re-evaluate at week 8–12 to decide on next steps.
PRP is one of the safer interventional options in orthopedics — but no procedure is risk-free, and the cost and uncertainty deserve an honest conversation.
Because PRP uses your own blood, allergic reaction is essentially nonexistent. The real risks are small but worth discussing.
Evidence for PRP is strong for some uses and mixed for others. Cost and insurance reality matter too — we cover both up front.
At LAOSS, PRP is performed by board-certified physicians with deep experience in interventional and regenerative orthopedics — not delegated to ancillary staff. From your first ultrasound evaluation through the injection itself and follow-up, the same specialist guides your care, so the person making the diagnostic call is the person doing the procedure.
Dr. Yasmeh did my spine surgery. Recovery was easier than I expected and the team checked in regularly through the whole process.
Book an evaluation at any of our eight Los Angeles–area offices. We'll examine the area, image it on-site, and tell you honestly whether PRP is the right tool — or whether a different approach makes more sense.
