What is Prolotherapy?
During a Prolotherapy treatment, natural solution is injected into damaged tissue, where it stimulates growth factors and regenerates ligaments, tendons and cartilage. It also improves nerve function, which assists in relieving pain.
WHAT CONDITIONS CAN PROLOTHERAPY TREAT?
Prolotherapy can be used to treat a range of podiatric conditions, including:
- Osteoarthritis of knee, ankle, large toe and other foot joints
- Bunion pain
- Stubborn soft tissue injuries – heel pain, Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis, ligament damage and weakness (weak ankles), ankle pain, cuboid syndrome, runner’s knee, jumper’s knee, ITB syndrome
- Neural/nerve pain - Morton’s neuroma, nerve trauma after surgery, nerve entrapments and constriction.
It may be combined with other podiatric treatments, including other injection therapies, photobiomodulation, orthotics, footwear adjustments, paddings and exercise as necessary. Nutritional supplements are often advised with Prolotherapy to encourage healing of the tissues. Read more about Prolotherapy treatment here and view this video about Lateral Ankle Prolotherapy.
At Cheltenham Podiatry, we use two forms of Prolotherapy:
Classical Hackett Prolotherapy:
A glucose with an anesthetic solution is injected into the damaged tissue.
When introduced into a joint, this releases growth factors that can help increase cartilage growth.
It can be used in strengthening damaged ligaments (eg. weak ankles), repairing damaged tendons and treating osteoarthritic joints.
Fortnightly to monthly injections are generally needed, usually for a course of 4-9 sessions.
Lyftogt’s Perineural Prolotherapy:
Also known as Perineural Injection Therapy (PIT), this innovative advancement in regenerative medicine is able to reduce pain almost immediately. It does this by intervening in the inflammatory process and restoring normal nerve function. As nerves feed all our tissues, it can also be used to treat chronic musculoskeletal conditions, such as Achilles tendinopathy. A medical grade dextrose solution is injected just under the skin with a small fine needle – no anesthetic required.
Between 3-8 sessions are needed for permanent pain relief, although in some cases 1-3 sessions may be sufficient. An immediate reduction in pain after the first injection is experienced by most patients, lasting anywhere from hours to days. Pain is generally reduced by 20-40% with each subsequent treatment as the tissue progressively heals.
Related research papers:
- Hypertonic dextrose injection (prolotherapy) for knee osteoarthritis: Long term outcomes
DavidRabago MarlonMundt AleksandraZgierska JessicaGrettie - Perineural Injection Therapy in the Management of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Sweet Solution to Pain.
JU ANN THOR, MD, NOR HANIM MOHAMED HANAPI, MBBS, HAZWANI HALIL, BSC, AND ANWAR SUHAIMI, MBBS, MREHABMED Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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SPEAK TO A PODIATRIST
Our friendly and professional podiatrists are fully trained and have years of experience, ensuring you get the best quality treatment and advice.
To find out if prolotherapy treatment is right for you, book an appointment at Cheltenham Podiatry today, or call our friendly team on 03 9583 3093.
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