Bodybuilding is a sport that is as old as time. Throughout history, strength and size have been pursued by many and marveled at by others. However, if we fast forward to the present, we are witnessing individuals who are challenging the upper limits of human capabilities! Men and women with enormous statures, moving incredibly heavy weights on daily basis. While this extreme action is what it takes to build their spectacular physiques, it is also the greatest risk for injury.
Dr. Roshni Patel of the Center of Excellence in Pain and Regenerative Medicine is an industry leader in the use of Platelet Rich Plasma therapy for musculoskeletal injuries. Based in Farmington, Connecticut, CERPM has administered regenerative medicine to bodybuilders and performance athletes alike and provided incredible results.
How Can Regenerative Medicine Help?
Bodybuilding is an extreme version of physical fitness that requires incredible dedication and technical ability. Bodybuilders will most likely work out every day, sometime twice a day. The pursuit of muscle can often push their bodies to the breaking point. This 2017 study highlights the most common injuries associated with bodybuilding and powerlifting sports as shoulder, lower back, knee, elbow, and wrist/hand injury locations; with strains, tendinitis, and sprains as the most common injury type.
If you speak to a bodybuilder or powerlifter, the vast majority of them will tell you that joint health is critically important in their career, as they are notorious for being injured and a severe injury can seriously damage their careers. They will often stack supplements to promote joint health and function, and while this is helpful, it doesn’t save them from injury or fully heal.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)
Plasma is one of the main components of your blood, along with red and white blood cells and platelets. PRP therapy involves extracting a blood sample, placing it in a centrifuge where it can be isolated into each of its respective components. This process causes platelets to accumulate in the plasma layer, which is then extracted and prepared as injectable therapy. PRP therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that has useful applications for musculoskeletal injuries from head-to-toe.
PRP has changed the way medical professionals think about injury care and repair. The NIH has verified its safety and efficacy for procedures such as combatting knee osteoarthritis and has consistently shown to have beneficial effects on tendons including increased tendon cell proliferation, increased expression of anabolic genes and proteins, and reduced tendon inflammation.
How Can PRP Help Bodybuilders?
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a naturally sourced form of medicine that encourages the growth and repair of damaged and dying cells. Using image guidance ultrasound, injections can be administered directly into the injury site, ensuring the maximum amount of growth factors introduced to the compromised tissues. Below are some of the other ways in which PRP can help bodybuilders recover and heal from injuries and get back to full capacity sooner!
Joint Repair
PRP is highly useful for those looking to recover from joint injuries. The injections are loaded with anti-inflammatory properties as well as growth factors that encourage the repair or replacement of damaged and dying cells. By fixing the problem at its source, PRP allows for more than just pain relief, but the return of functional use of the joint!
Tendon Repair
Tendons are notoriously bad at regenerating, mostly because they sit in avascular zones, meaning they experience very minimal exposure to your circulatory system and all of its reparative properties. What often happens is the outward portion of tendon injuries heal, while the interior portion remains compromised, putting you at a much higher risk of re-injury when you attempt to return to full output.
Injury Recovery
PRP is a more concentrated, more efficient method of our body’s natural healing process. Opting for PRP therapy immediately after sustaining an injury can expedite the recovery process and ensure a more complete and fortified repair of damaged tissues. For bodybuilders, injuries are less about pain and more about lost time, don’t waste your hard-earned progress waiting for a lingering injury to heal!
Looking for Regenerative Medicine for Bodybuilders in Farmington, Connecticut?
If you have additional questions about PRP or are ready to schedule a consultation, call or book online with Dr. Roshni Patel at the Center of Excellence in Pain and Regenerative Medicine today, or visit our PRP page by clicking here!
