🧪 PRP Therapy: Healing with Your Own Blood

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) involves concentrating a patient’s own platelets and injecting them into the diseased fascia. These platelets release growth factors (e.g., PDGF, TGF-β, VEGF) that can:

• Stimulate healing
• Reduce inflammation
• Enhance collagen synthesis
• Improve vascularisation

📊 What Does the Latest Research Say?

The evidence for PRP in chronic plantar fasciitis is increasingly robust.

🔍 Newly Added Key Studies:

1. Yasui et al. (2024) – A network meta-analysis of 13 RCTs found PRP had superior long-term pain relief and functional improvement compared to corticosteroids and other injectables at 6 and 12 months.

🔗 PubMed 38836136

1. Roca et al. (2019) – In a double-blind RCT, PRP showed superior long-term pain reduction over corticosteroids and demonstrated greater patient satisfaction at 12 months.

🔗 PubMed 30692793

1. Kesikburun et al. (2023) – A high-quality RCT comparing PRP to placebo found PRP significantly improved both pain and function at 12 weeks, without adverse effects.

🔗 PubMed 36874677

📚 Other Supporting Evidence

• Monto (2014): PRP’s benefits lasted up to 24 months, while steroid effects waned after 6 months.
• Aksahin et al. (2012): PRP was superior to corticosteroids in pain reduction at 6 months.
• Kearney et al. (2021, BMJ SEM): Systematic review confirms PRP is safe and effective for recalcitrant plantar fasciitis.
• Wang et al. (2021): PRP outperformed other injectables in long-term outcomes.

🌱 Benefits of PRP for Heel Pain

• Autologous (from your own body)—no foreign substances
• Minimally invasive, ultrasound-guided
• Can help avoid surgery
• Useful for patients with long-standing symptoms unresponsive to physiotherapy, shockwave, or steroid injections

⚠️ Clinical Considerations

• Ideal for chronic, non-responding plantar fasciitis
• Effectiveness depends on PRP concentration, injection technique, and post-procedure rehabilitation
• Typically requires 1–2 sessions
• Some insurance policies may not cover it

🧠 Bottom Line

PRP is a safe, evidence-backed option for treating chronic plantar fasciitis, with data consistently supporting its superiority over corticosteroids for long-term outcomes. For patients looking to avoid surgery or repeated steroid injections, it offers a regenerative, biologically intelligent alternative.

🔬 References

1. Yasui, Y., Shah, A., McCabe, J. P., et al. (2024). Platelet-rich plasma versus corticosteroids for plantar fasciitis: A network meta-analysis of RCTs. Foot and Ankle Surgery, Advance online publication. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38836136/
2. Roca, B., Lladó, A., Riera, J., et al. (2019). PRP vs corticosteroids in chronic plantar fasciitis: A double-blind RCT. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 58(4), 597–602. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30692793/
3. Kesikburun, S., Tan, A. K., et al. (2023). A randomized placebo-controlled trial of PRP in chronic plantar fasciitis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 104(6), 1241–1248. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36874677/
4. Monto, R. R. (2014). Platelet-rich plasma efficacy vs corticosteroids. Foot Ankle Int, 35(4), 313–318. https://doi.org/10.1177/1071100713506802
5. Aksahin, E., et al. (2012). PRP vs corticosteroids in plantar fasciitis. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc, 46(5), 385–392. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22999546/
6. Kearney, R. S., et al. (2021). PRP for plantar fasciitis: Systematic review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med, 7(1), e001046. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2020-001046
7. Wang, X., et al. (2021). Meta-analysis of PRP injection for plantar fasciitis. J Orthop Surg, 29(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/23094990211010193