Platelet rich plasma injection for soft tissue musculoskeletal pain

Introduction: Treating soft tissue injuries can be a challenge for physicians as it can be overlooked which can lead to more problems. In recent studies, the use of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) has been gaining popularity for soft tissue injuries because of its benefits and minimal side effects. This study aims to evaluate the effect of PRP injection on various musculoskeletal soft tissues inflammation. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with soft tissue injury who underwent PRP therapy between 2015 and 2018 at an orthopaedic and traumatology hospital. The study collected demographic data including the type of soft tissue injury and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after the PRP injection. Those data were statistically analysed to identify the significance of PRP. Results: Seventy-six patients were included, predominantly female, middle aged (40-69 years old) and class one obesity. Most of the complaints (61.8%) were in the lower extremity region. Pain improvements measured with mean VAS score were observed in both acute (3.06±1.28 to 0.8±0.65) and chronic (4±1.75 to 0.97±0.62) cases. There was a significant decrease of VAS score before and after the PRP injection (p < 0.000). Conclusion: PRP injection is able to alleviate both acute and chronic pain in soft tissue injuries without additional analgesic.