PRP Joint Injections

PRP and PRF joint injections

Platelet-rich plasma is a concentrate of your own platelets, injected into an affected joint to deliver growth factors involved in tissue healing. Platelet-rich fibrin is a related preparation with a fibrin matrix that releases those growth factors more slowly. We offer both, and which one suits you depends on the joint and the problem. The same preparations are used differently in PRP and PRF skin treatment, which is a separate service.

In knee osteoarthritis, the published trials most consistently show improvement in pain and function. Demonstrated regrowth of cartilage is not something the evidence establishes, and we will not tell you otherwise.

Why we inject under ultrasound

We have a high-frequency handheld ultrasound (Clarius) in the office and we use it for every joint injection.

This matters more than it sounds. Injections placed by feel alone — by palpating landmarks — miss the joint space a meaningful proportion of the time, particularly in the shoulder and in larger patients. An injection that does not reach the target does not work, and the patient concludes the treatment failed when in fact it was never delivered.

Ultrasound also lets us see the joint before we treat it: the extent of degeneration, whether there is effusion, and whether the problem is actually in the joint or in a tendon alongside it. That sometimes changes the plan entirely.

Which joints do you treat — and which don’t you?

We treat the knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow and wrist. The knee is the most commonly treated and where the evidence base is strongest.

We do not offer hip injections. Our probe images to about five centimeters, which is ample for the knee and shoulder but not enough to see the hip joint reliably, and we are not prepared to inject a joint we cannot see. Hip injections are properly done with deeper imaging or under fluoroscopy — that is a referral, not something we will improvise.

Response is also best in mild to moderate degeneration. If your arthritis is advanced and there is little cartilage left, PRP is unlikely to change much, and an orthopedic conversation is the more useful one. We would rather say that at consultation than after a series.

We also offer corticosteroid injection

Triamcinolone injections for the knee and shoulder are available here, also under ultrasound guidance, and for some patients they are the better choice.

The honest comparison: corticosteroid works faster and costs considerably less, and it is covered by insurance in a way PRP is not. Its drawback is that the benefit tends to be shorter-lived, and repeated intra-articular steroid over years is not something to undertake casually. PRP takes longer to work and you pay for it out of pocket, but it is not a steroid.

Which is right for you depends on your joint, your goals and your timeline. We will lay out both rather than steering you toward the one that is not covered.

How many injections, and what should I expect?

Most patients receive one to three injections spaced four to six weeks apart. The appointment takes 45 to 60 minutes including the blood draw and preparation.

Expect soreness in the joint for one to three days afterward — this is normal and reflects the inflammatory response the treatment is meant to provoke. Avoid anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen around the treatment window, since blunting that response may work against the point of it. Improvement is gradual, typically over four to twelve weeks.

Is it covered by insurance?

PRP and PRF are typically not covered, as most carriers still classify them as investigational. Corticosteroid injection generally is. Dr. Ghavami will give you the full cost of whichever route you choose before anything is scheduled.

Why choose PhillyMedClub for PRP joint injections in Philadelphia?

Dr. Ghavami performs every joint injection under high-frequency handheld ultrasound — not for some of them, for all of them. We treat the knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow and wrist, and the knee is where the evidence base is strongest. We do not offer hip injections: our probe images to about five centimeters, which is ample for a knee and not enough to see a hip reliably, and we are not prepared to inject a joint we cannot see. That is a referral for deeper imaging or fluoroscopy, not something we improvise. We will also tell you when PRP is unlikely to help — in advanced degeneration with little cartilage left, an orthopedic conversation is the more useful one. Corticosteroid injection is offered alongside, and we lay out both rather than steering you toward the one insurance does not cover. From $449 a session.