Singapore First in Southeast Asia to Use Novel Treatment for Sports and Musculoskeleta...( Originally e...),Health

Originally employed in dentistry, this method of accelerated tissue healing is showing its worth in soft-tissue repair, says one Singapore doctor.

Singapore (PRWEB) April 14, 2009 -- It was first used by dental surgeons about 15 years ago to enhance wound healing of bone grafts during dental reconstructive surgery. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is today being applied in Singapore as an alternative to the conventional mode of treating a wide variety of sports injuries and degenerative conditions in muscles, tendons and joints. The results augur well for professional and weekend sportspersons alike.

"With conventional treatment, a calf muscle tear for instance, would normally take about six weeks to heal. However, with PRP, it would only take half the time. In fact, ultrasonic evidence of healing was apparent as early as seven to 10 days after the injection was administered. Normally, this would have taken between two to three weeks," revealed Dr Patrick Goh, Consultant Sports Physician at SportsMed Central, a clinic that runs under the Healthway Medical Group umbrella.

When injury occurs to musculoskeletal tissues, the body's healing mechanism triggers a blood clot where platelets accumulate. Central to the body's normal healing process, the platelets then release growth factors and signalling molecules (cytokines) to initiate repair. These growth factors attract stem cells to the injured area, stimulate DNA an
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