HOW TIGER WOODS & RAFAEL NADAL UTILIZED PRP THERAPIES TO RECOVER FROM INJURIES

Regenerative therapies in medicine are rapidly increasing in popularity. For several years these treatments have drawn the interest of professional athletes. Athletes utilize a variety of regenerative therapies including platelet rich plasma and stem cell therapies to enhance rehabilitation efforts and recovery from injury.

PGA tour legend Tiger Woods sought out platelet rich plasma therapy as part of his recovery from an ACL injury. Such an injury could alter the path of any athlete’s future. Recovery from surgical reconstruction of the ACL can be extensive and arduous. With the primary goal of speeding up his return to the golf course, Woods explored regenerative options including platelet rich plasma therapy.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy, or PRP, is developing into a customary medical treatment to promote healing of injured tissue. Common injuries to athletes include those that affect tissue such as tendons and ligaments. PRP is a collection of the body’s natural healing and growth factors. These factors combine with concentrated platelets in an injectable solution to encourage a more rapid therapeutic response. It is a minimally invasive technique that requires minimal recovery.
According to Woods’ account of his treatment, he had several PRP injections into his knee. In an interview in 2010, he acknowledged the benefits from his treatment prior to his comeback at The Masters Tournament. Eventually, he returned to his superior on-course form and won several tournaments and awards in the immediate aftermath.
A 2013 article from Sports Illustrated referencing an interview in The Daily Mail with tennis sensation Rafael Nadal, details his experience with PRP. In the article he states “PRP worked unbelievably on my knee before, in 2010, 2009…I recovered 100% in a very short period of time during the PRP treatment.”

Given similar feelings expressed by these and other athletes, regenerative techniques provide a path to recovery for the injured athlete.

Toure Knighton, MD

Dr. Knighton, Dr. Chinthagada, Dr. Yuk and Dr. Kush at Valley Neurology and Pain aim to relieve pain by identifying the source, making the proper diagnosis, and offering the best treatment options available. If you are interested in hearing more about our regenerative medicine therapy, contact Valley Neurology and Pain in Peoria and Phoenix at 602-795-0207 for a consultation and examination. Whether big or small, enduring pain doesn’t make you stronger, but getting the proper help will.