If you have been dealing with knee pain for months and feel like you are running out of conservative options, you are probably weighing what comes next. Surgery is on the table for some patients, but many people in Bloomfield Hills and across Oakland County want to know what else is available before making that call. PRP therapy comes up frequently in those conversations, and for good reason. It is one of the more substantive options in regenerative medicine, and it is grounded in a straightforward biological principle: using what your own body already knows how to do.
This post explains what PRP therapy actually is, which knee conditions it is used for, how the process works from start to finish, and how it fits into a broader care plan. The goal is to give you a clear picture before you decide anything.
What PRP Therapy Is and Where It Comes From
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. The material used in the injection does not come from a lab or a pharmaceutical manufacturer. It comes from your own blood.
When you are injured, platelets are among the first responders your body sends to the area. They are small blood cells that carry growth factors, which are proteins that signal surrounding tissue to begin the repair process. Platelets are critical to wound healing, but in some chronic conditions, including worn joints and long-standing tendon problems, the area does not receive an adequate ongoing repair signal. The tissue is damaged but not healing the way it should.
PRP therapy works by concentrating that repair signal and delivering it directly to the problem area. A small amount of blood is drawn from your arm and placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins the blood to separate its components, and the platelet-rich fraction is isolated. That concentrate is then prepared for injection. Because the material comes from your own blood, the risk of immune reaction is low. The approach does not introduce a foreign substance. It amplifies something your body already produces.
Which Knee Conditions PRP Is Used For
PRP is not appropriate for every knee problem, and a proper evaluation is the only way to know whether it fits your situation. That said, there are several categories of knee conditions where PRP is commonly used.
Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent reasons patients ask about PRP. When cartilage breaks down, the joint loses its cushion, and bone-on-bone contact creates pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. PRP injections are used in these cases to support the joint's natural environment and address the inflammatory process that drives ongoing damage.
Tendon injuries and chronic tendinopathy are another common application. Tendons around the knee, including the patellar tendon, can develop micro-damage over time that does not fully resolve. PRP delivers growth factors directly to the area to support tissue-level repair that the tendon has struggled to complete on its own.
Ligament sprains and partial tears, particularly in patients who have not responded fully to rest and rehabilitation, are also conditions where PRP is used.
General joint pain that has persisted through other conservative treatments and has not fully resolved is often evaluated as a candidate for PRP, depending on what imaging and examination show about the underlying condition.
How a PRP Injection Actually Works
The process begins well before any injection. A thorough evaluation is needed first. Your provider will review your history, assess your knee, and may use imaging to understand the extent of the damage and confirm that PRP is the right fit for your condition. At Oakland Lifestyle Medicine, that evaluation process includes X-rays and clinical examination as part of a comprehensive intake.
When you come in for the procedure itself, the steps are straightforward:
- A small blood draw is taken from your arm, similar to a standard blood test
- The blood is placed in a centrifuge and spun to separate and concentrate the platelets
- The platelet-rich concentrate is prepared and drawn into a syringe
- The provider injects the concentrate into the targeted area of the knee under clinical conditions
The appointment itself is not lengthy. Some patients receive a single injection; others receive a series of injections spaced several weeks apart, depending on the condition being treated and how their knee responds. Your provider will explain the recommended approach for your specific situation before you begin.
Most people tolerate the procedure well. You may feel the injection, and some patients experience mild soreness in the joint for a day or two afterward. That response is normal. It reflects the tissue reacting to the concentrated growth factors being introduced.
What to Expect During Recovery
Recovery from a PRP injection is generally less demanding than recovery from a surgical procedure. There is no incision, no general anesthesia, and no post-operative restriction on the same scale. Most patients return to light activity within a day or two.
That said, PRP is a biological process. It takes time. The growth factors in the injected concentrate trigger a repair response, but that response unfolds over weeks, not hours. Patients sometimes expect rapid relief, and when that does not happen in the first week, they assume the treatment did not work. The timeline for noticeable change depends on the severity of the condition, how long it has been present, and the full scope of the treatment plan surrounding the injection.
Following through with any accompanying physical therapy or rehabilitation program is important. The injection sets a repair process in motion. What you do around that process, in terms of movement, load, and rehabilitation, shapes the outcome.
How PRP Fits Into a Complete Knee Pain Plan
PRP is most effective as part of a coordinated care plan, not as a standalone intervention. This matters because knee pain rarely has a single cause. The joint may be damaged, but the factors loading the joint can include alignment problems, muscle weakness, gait changes, and postural issues that continue to stress the area even after an injection.
Physical therapy is one of the most common pairings with PRP. Guided strengthening and movement work helps the recovering tissue bear load correctly and supports the gains made through the injection. Without rehabilitation, an injection into a weakened or poorly loaded joint may not hold as well over time.
Chiropractic care is another component. The spine, pelvis, and hip all influence how load is distributed to the knee. Misalignment in those areas places uneven stress on the knee joint, which works against the repair process. Addressing alignment as part of the plan is a practical step, not a peripheral one.
Stem cell therapy is sometimes combined with PRP for patients with more advanced joint deterioration. The two are different approaches, but they are compatible and can be used together as part of a layered regenerative protocol.
Shockwave therapy and cold laser therapy are additional tools in the practice's toolkit that support tissue recovery, depending on what the evaluation shows about the nature of the problem.
Knee-on-Trac decompression is a non-invasive option the practice uses specifically for knee pain, aimed at reducing inflammation and restoring mobility by gently distracting the joint.
How Oakland Lifestyle Medicine Approaches PRP and Knee Pain
Oakland Lifestyle Medicine is a multi-disciplinary practice. Chiropractors, physical therapists, physician assistants, and massage therapists work from a shared care plan rather than from separate, siloed assessments. For knee pain, that collaborative structure matters. A condition that looks like a joint problem may have contributing factors across several systems, and a team that communicates can address them together.
The practice takes a root-cause approach. That means the evaluation is designed to understand what is actually driving the pain, not just where it is located. If the knee is the site of the problem but alignment, muscle imbalance, or tissue deterioration is the underlying driver, the plan addresses all of it. PRP fits into that framework as one tool in a broader effort to restore the knee to function without relying on surgery or long-term medication management.
Patients considering PRP at this practice start with a consultation that includes a history, a physical examination, and diagnostic imaging. That evaluation determines whether PRP is the right next step, and if so, how it should be structured within the broader care plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PRP the same thing as stem cell therapy?
No. They are two different procedures, though both fall under the category of regenerative medicine. PRP uses a concentrated fraction of your own blood plasma, specifically the platelets and the growth factors they carry. Stem cell therapy uses cells with the capacity to differentiate into different tissue types. They target tissue repair through different mechanisms, and they are sometimes used together as part of a combined protocol. Your provider at Oakland Lifestyle Medicine can explain which approach, or which combination, fits your specific condition based on your evaluation.
How many PRP injections will I need for my knee?
There is no single answer. The number of injections depends on your diagnosis, the severity of the damage, and how your knee responds after each treatment. Some patients receive one injection followed by a rehabilitation program. Others receive a series spaced several weeks apart. The provider will discuss the recommended approach at your consultation, and that plan can be adjusted based on your response as care progresses.
Can PRP therapy be used if I already have significant cartilage loss?
This depends on the extent of the damage and a proper clinical evaluation. PRP is used in osteoarthritis cases, including cases where cartilage has worn substantially. Whether it is the right choice at a given stage of degeneration is something your provider needs to assess directly, using your imaging and examination findings. PRP is often part of a plan that includes other regenerative options for more advanced cases.
Where is Oakland Lifestyle Medicine, and how do I reach them?
Oakland Lifestyle Medicine is located at 36800 Woodward Ave Suite 210, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304. They serve patients throughout Oakland County. You can call them at (248) 543-3566. New patients can schedule a consultation that includes a history, examination, and diagnostic imaging for $49. This offer excludes Medicare and Medicaid plans. The practice is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7 AM to 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM to 6 PM, and Tuesday from 10 AM to 3 PM.