Nonsurgical Treatment for Sports Medicine Injuries
Whenever possible, our Sports Medicine Center specialists use nonsurgical treatments for injuries and conditions such as ankle instability, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries, and shoulder dislocations.
Our advanced nonsurgical techniques are performed on an outpatient basis and include injections using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, stem cell therapy, and shock wave therapy.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy
In PRP therapy, your own blood components are used to stimulate healing in acute or chronically injured tendons, muscles, and ligaments.
During the procedure, which takes between 20 and 30 minutes, our experts take a small amount of blood from your arm and place it in a special processing unit that separates the platelets and growth factors from the other blood components. The platelets and growth factors are then collected in a sterile syringe and injected into the targeted tissue.
Stem Cell Therapy
Adult mesenchymal stem cells, found in bone marrow, are primitive cells that help our bodies naturally heal. These cells have unique capabilities: They can differentiate into multiple tissues, including bone, cartilage, and muscle, as well as reduce inflammation.
During a stem cell therapy procedure, which takes under 45 minutes, adult mesenchymal stem cells, derived from your own bone marrow, are removed from a bone in your pelvis, concentrated into a serum, and then injected into the injured knee, hip, or shoulder. It’s usually an outpatient procedure, often performed without the need for sedation.
Shock Wave Therapy
Shock wave therapy is used to stimulate healing in acute or chronically injured tendons and muscles.
Our experts use Extracorporeal Pulse Technology®, or EPAT®—a unique set of pressure waves targeted at an area with chronic pain—to simulate cell production, enhance blood circulation, and eventually regenerate damaged tissue. The procedure usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the type of injury. Generally, five sessions are necessary for you to experience pain relief.
Rehabilitation for Sports Injuries
We focus on the rehabilitation of injuries and conditions to prevent them from recurring.
Our sports medicine doctors collaborate with experts from the Sports Injury Rehabilitation Program at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation to develop a customized physical therapy plan for you that may include the following:
- core strengthening and stabilizing exercises
- joint and soft tissue mobilization
- manual therapy, including soft tissue work
- muscle energy techniques that use your muscle contractions to reposition misaligned joints
- Pilates techniques such as mat, chair, and reformer
- posture, body mechanics, and ergonomic instruction
- therapeutic exercises targeted at weak or tight areas
Contact Us
To make an appointment at NYU Langone’s Sports Medicine Center, please call 646-501-7223.