In November 2021, I hiked up and skied Little Chute at Alta, UT.

When skiing down my knee swelled up and I could only bend it 90º.

After arriving home the swelling went down.

This happened on a daily repeat cycle until February 2022 when the pain upon skiing became so intense I had to stop skiing altogether.

I talked to my surgeon.

He quickly diagnosed me with osteoarthritis caused by my knee surgery in 2015 to replace my ACL.

I had also vaporized my meniscus and ripped off a square centimeter of cartilage on the end of my femur resulting in a microfracture surgery (performed at the same time as my ACL replacement).

The first course of action was a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) regimen (ibuprofen, etc).

That didn’t work.

In February 2022, I had my first Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection.

I coupled the injection with 4 weeks off from skiing and physical therapy.

I returned to skiing in March 2022 and had a decent March, April, and May 2022.

I surfed great waves with no issues in the Maldives all of June and July (surfing is not hard on knees).

I returned to snow in August 2022 in Patagonia and on day #1 my knee swelled up and was painful again.

I was only able to ski 22 out of 60 days that summer…

I went back in for another PRP injection in October.

This time it worked.

I had a strong 2022/23 ski season with record snowfall across the west and I skied 305 out of 365 days that year without issue, swelling, nor pain.

Since then, I’ve officially drunk the Kool-Aid.

I found a doctor who will do PRP injections for $450 a pop and I’m doing them every 3 months.

This week, I got my 5th PRP injection in the lateral compartment of my left knee (where there is no meniscus and no cartilage).

I plan on continuing with these PRP injections indefinitely.

In general, it’s advised to take it easy for a day or two after the injection.

I sometimes experience swelling for 24 hours after the PRP injection.

I believe that these injections are working for me and hopefully, they’ll help me put off getting a knee replacement until I’m at least 55.

Fingers crossed.

I’m 45 years old, 6’1″, 165lbs and I’ve been skiing full time since I was 22 and I’ve skied year round the last 13 years.

PRP treatment is not yet fully proven by science and therefore, health insurance generally won’t cover it.

I also do a lot of physical therapy (building up the muscles in my legs) and I have a custom-made DonJoy knee brace that I wear anytime I ski that is called an unloader knee brace because it bends my knee bowlegged – taking pressure off the lateral compartment of my left knee where I lack cartilage.

Unloader knee braces are also not well-proven in science.

You may have to get an MRI before you can get into a doctor to get PRP injections and the doctor you see (orthopedic surgeon) will also most likely take an x-ray of your knees.

What Are PRP Injections?

All info below from Johns Hopkins University

• PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) treatment can help support wound healing in trauma and joint injury. The technique can address male pattern baldness, stimulate the growth of hair transplants and enhance other cosmetic procedures.
• The results of PRP treatment are most noticeable after several weeks for joint injections and six months for scalp injections, and are not permanent; patients may require additional injections at the direction of their doctor.
• Because the treatments use a patient’s own tissues, PRP injections are safe and can be administered alone or used in conjunction with other procedures.

What is Platelet-Rich Plasma?

Platelet-rich plasma consists of two elements: plasma, or the liquid portion of blood, and platelets, a type of blood cell that plays an important role in healing throughout the body. Platelets are well-known for their clotting abilities, but they also contain growth factors that can trigger cell reproduction and stimulate tissue regeneration or healing in the treated area. Platelet-rich plasma is simply blood that contains more platelets than normal.

To create platelet-rich plasma, clinicians take a blood sample from the patient and place it into a device called a centrifuge that rapidly spins the sample, separating out the other components of the blood from the platelets and concentrating them within the plasma.

What is a PRP injection?

After creating platelet-rich plasma from a patient’s blood sample, that solution is injected into the target area, such as an injured knee or a tendon. In some cases, the clinician may use ultrasound to guide the injection. The idea is to increase the concentration of specific bioproteins or hormones, called growth factors, in a specific area to accelerate the healing process.

The mechanism behind PRP injections is not completely understood. Studies show that the increased concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma may stimulate or speed up the healing process, shortening healing time for injuries, decreasing pain, and even encouraging hair growth.

What is PRP treatment used for?

PRP injections are used for a range of conditions,* from musculoskeletal pain and injuries to cosmetic procedures.

Tendon, Ligament, Muscle and Joint Injuries

PRP injections may be able to treat a range of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. For example, chronic tendon injuries such as tennis elbow or jumper’s knee can often take a long time to heal, so adding PRP shots to a treatment regimen can help to stimulate the healing process, decrease pain, and enable a return to activities sooner.

Post-surgical Healing

Clinicians first used PRP to accelerate healing after jaw or plastic surgeries. Now, post-surgical PRP injections have expanded to help heal muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as procedures on these tissues have notoriously long recovery times.

Osteoarthritis

Early studies indicate that PRP injections may help treat osteoarthritis pain and stiffness by modulating the joint environment and reducing inflammation, but research is growing.

Hair Loss

PRP injections can be effective in treating male pattern baldness, both in preventing hair loss and promoting new hair growth. PRP can also aid in the stimulation of hair growth after hair transplants.

Skin Rejuvenation

PRP injections are sometimes used as an anti-aging treatment, but there is little evidence to show that PRP reduces wrinkles and other signs of aging.

PRP Therapy Risks and Side Effects

A PRP injection is a low-risk procedure and does not usually cause major side effects. The procedure involves a blood draw, so you should make sure you are hydrated and have eaten beforehand to prevent feeling lightheaded. After the procedure, you may experience some soreness and bruising at the injection site.

Because PRP injections are made up of your own cells and plasma, the risk of an allergic reaction is much lower than with other injectable medications like corticosteroids. Less common risks of PRP injections include:

• Bleeding
• Tissue damage
• Infection
• Nerve injuries

If you are considering PRP injections, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about all the benefits and risks.