Imagine having the ability to improve your body’s natural process for recovery from knee pain or injury. That’s the goal of a new treatment offered at NorthBay Health.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections — a treatment popularized in recent years by many professional athletes like Tiger Woods and Rafael Nidal — offer promise in the treatment of sprains and tendon injuries. NorthBay orthopedic specialist Andrew Brooks, M.D., is now including it as an option for certain knee patients. He is the only orthopedist offering the treatment in Solano County.

Platelet-rich plasma consists of two elements: plasma, or the liquid portion of blood, and platelets, a type of blood cell that plays an important role in healing throughout the body. Platelets are well-known for their clotting abilities, but they also contain growth factors that can trigger cell reproduction and stimulate tissue regeneration or healing in the treated area. Platelet-rich plasma is simply blood that contains more platelets than normal.

To create platelet-rich plasma, a blood sample is taken from the patient and placed it into a centrifuge that rapidly spins the sample, separating out the other components of the blood from the platelets and concentrating them within the plasma, which is then injected into the target area, such as an injured knee or a tendon.

Because the treatments use a patient’s own tissues, PRP injections are considered safe and can be administered alone or used in conjunction with other procedures.

Patients can call (707) 624-7900 for more information.