Knee Injuries and Pain

Platelet-Rich Plasma as a Treatment for Patellar Tendinopathy (2014)

Both dry needling and injection with leukocyte-rich PRP were shown to significantly improve symptoms in patients with patellar tendinopathy after only one treatment.

Outcomes of Prolotherapy in Chondromalacia Patella Patients:  Improvements in Pain Level and Function (2014)
Chondromalacia patients receiving prolotherapy injections in the anterior knee showed statistically significant decrease in pain, decreased stiffness and crepitus, and increased range of motion.  Only 3 of 16 knees were still recommended for surgery after prolotherapy.

The effect of platelet-rich plasma on pain, function, and quality of life of patients with knee osteoarthritis. (2013)
This study showed that intra-articular knee injection of PRP can decrease joint pain and stiffness and improve patients’ quality of living in short term.

Dextrose Prolotherapy for Knee Osteoarthritis:  A Randomized Controlled Trial (2013) 
This triple blinded study showed clinically meaningful sustained improvement of pain, function and stiffness scores for patients with knee osteoarthritis when treated with Dextrose Prolotherapy.

Combination of Autologous Adipose-Derived Tissue Stromal Vascular Fraction Plus High Density Platelet-Rich Plasma or Bone Marrow Concentrates in Achilles Tendon Tears. (2013)
This study demonstrates that combination therapy appears as promising options for non-surgical management of Achilles tendonosis and partial thickness interstitial tears.

Effect of Regenerative Injection Therapy on Function and Pain in Patients with Knee Osteoarthrits: A Randomized Crossover Study. (2012)
Dextrose Prolotherapy used in knee osteoarthritis resulted in a marked reduction in symptoms.
Autologous Fat Grafting as a Mesenchymal Stem Cell Source and  Living Bioscaffold in a Patellar Tendon Tear. (2012)
This case report shows the effective use of  Biocellular Prolotherapy (adipose derived) using autologous fat graft combined with platelet-rich plasma to provide repair cells in healing of a patelllar tendon tear.

Intra-articular injection of autologous mesenchymal stem cells in six patients with knee osteoarthritis. (2012)
This study shows satisfactory effects of intra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells in 6 patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Pain and activity levels before and after platelet-rich plasma injection treatment of patellar tendinopathy: a prospective cohort study and the influence of previous treatment. (2012)  
After PRP Prolotherapy treatment patients with patellar tendinopathy showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement.  However improvement was less significant in those patients who had previously received cortisone and/or surgical treatment.

Patellar Tendon Healing With Platelet Rich Plasma: A Prospective Randomized Control Trial (2012)
This study showed that PRP had a positive effect on patellar tendon harvest site healing on MRI after 6 months and also reduced pain in the immediate postoperative period.

Effect of PRP on Patterns of Gene Expression in a Dog Model of ACL Reconstruction (2012)
This study demonstrates enhancing effect of PRP on the ACL graft maturation process.

Hyperosmolar Dextrose Injection for Recalcitrant Osgood-Schlatter Disease. (2011)
Sixty-five knees in 54 athletes were treated with dextrose Prolotherapy. Results showed superior symptom-reduction and efficacy of injection therapy over the usual care in the treatment of Osgood-Schlatter disease in adolescents.

Injection Treatments for Patellar Tendinopathy.  (2011)
Different injection treatments were compared, including platelet rich plasma, dry needling, autologous blood, and steroids.  These all demonstrated positive improvement however steroid treatments showed a relapse of symptoms in the long term as compared to the other methods.

Platelet-Rich Plasma: Intra-Articular Knee Injections Produced Favorable Results on Degenerative Cartilage Lesions.  (2009)
This study of 100 patients explored treating degenerative cartilage lesions in knees with Platelet-rich Plasma.  The results indicated that treatment with PRP injections is safe and has the potential to reduce pain and improve knee function and quality of life.

A Retrospective Study on Dextrose Prolotherapy for Unresolved Knee Pain.  (2009)
The results of this study showed that patients had a statistically significant decline in their level of pain, stiffness, crunching sensation and improvement in their range of motion after Prolotherapy treatment.

Repair of a Complete Anterior Cruciate Tear Using Prolotherapy: A Case Report.  (2009).
This case report documents the non-surgical repair of a high-grade partial or complete ACL tear using Prolotherapy and at home exercise.

Prolotherapy for Knee Pain.  (2007)
Review of how and why Prolotherapy resolves knee pain, types of knee problems that are appropriate, how MRI’s can be misleading in diagnosing this type of pain, and includes case reports.

High Resolution Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Document Tissue Repair After Prolotherapy. (2006)
Three case reports with one of a chronic patellar tendon tear and patient symptomatic for three years prior to treatment.  After Dextrose Prolotherapy treatment patient showed significant improvement and return to sports activity which continued.  Includes imaging studies .