Prolotherapy: The New Age of Prolotherapy
by Donna Alderman, DO
 We live in a technological
age. With technology comes growth and enhancement of techniques and prolotherapy is no
exception. In the March 2010 issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, the authors talk
about a new technique involving the injection of platelet rich plasma (PRP) into tendons.1
Quietly working its way through orthopaedic and sports medicine circles and disguised as a
“new” treatment, PRP itself has been around since at least the early 1990s2
in surgical and dental applications, but only recently in the musculoskeletal arena. When
used to treat injured tendons, ligaments or joints, PRP is simply a modern version of
prolotherapy.3 Almost exactly five years ago, in the April 2005 issue of the
Mayo Clinic Health Letter, the authors endorse prolotherapy and write: “In the case
of chronic ligament or tendon pain that hasn’t responded to more conservative
treatments such as prescribed exercise and physical therapy, prolotherapy may be
helpful.”4
Now the Mayo Clinic is endorsing PRP, the “new” prolotherapy, for
musculoskeletal injuries. In addition to PRP, stem cell joint injections are being used in
recalcitrant cases of joint dysfunction—utilizing both bone marrow and fat tissue as
stem cell repositories.5 Musculoskeletal ultrasound is also now available and
gaining popularity for use in office diagnosis and guidance (notwithstanding the learning
curve required for physician proficiency). This article explores these new developments
and what this means for the field of prolotherapy and regenerative medicine.
Review of Prolotherapy
Introduced in the 1930s, prolotherapy is a method of injection treatment designed to
stimulate healing.6 A recent definition is “the injection of growth
factors or growth factor production stimulants to grow normal cells or tissue.”7
prolotherapy owes its origins to the innovation of Dr. Earl Gedney, an osteopathic
physician and surgeon. In the early 1930s, Dr. Gedney caught his thumb in closing surgical
suite doors thereby stretching the joint and causing severe pain and instability. After
being told by his colleagues that nothing could be done for his condition and that his
surgical career was over, Gedney did his own research and decided to “be his own
doctor.” He knew of a group of doctors called “herniologists” that used
irritating solutions to stimulate the repair of the distended connective tissue ring in
hernias. He extrapolated this knowledge to inject his injured thumb and was able to fully
rehabilitate it.8
Please refer to the May 2010 issue for the complete text. In the event you need to order a back issue, please click here.
— May 2010
The full article is now available as a PDF and may be
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