Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment of sports-related severe acute hamstring injuries

Purpose: hamstring injury is the most common musculoskeletal disorder and one of the main causes of missed sporting events. Shortening the time to return to play (TTRTP) is a priority for athletes and sports medicine practitioners. Hypothesis: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection at the site of severe acute hamstring injury increases the healing rate and shortens the TTRTP. Study design: Cohort study. Methods: all patients with ultrasonography and MRI evidence of severe acute hamstring injury between January 2012 and March 2014 were offered PRP treatment. Those who accepted received a single intramuscular PRP injection within 8 days post-injury; the other patients served as controls. The same standardized rehabilitation program was used in both groups. A physical examination and ultrasonography were performed 10 and 30 days post-injury, then a phone interview 120 days post-injury, to determine the TTRTP at the pre-injury level. Results: of 34 patients, 15 received PRP and 19 did not. Mean TTRTP at the pre-injury level was 50.9 +/- 10.7 days in the PRP group and 52.8 +/- 15.7 days in the control group. The difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: a single intramuscular PRP injection did not shorten the TTRTP in sports people with severe acute hamstring injuries.