Sprains, strains or tears of ligaments and tendons do not often repair well, probably because of the more fibrous nature of these tissues and the lower amount of blood flow that they receive. This can result in slow healing times or the injury becoming chronic.

 

For a long time, we have known that bodies heal by way of inflammation, as this is how the body activates the healing cells and sends them to the injured area.  It was originally thought that in a chronic injury, this inflammation process went on too long. It now seems that the problem is more that the healing period is too brief for these kinds of injuries, as the inflammatory cells are mostly gone after 10 to 18 days. The widespread use of anti-inflammatory drugs may in fact worsen outcomes if taken after an injury by dampening this process too early, delaying healing. 

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Prolotherapy triggers a mild and temporary inflammatory response.  The blood flow to the area increases, and healing cells arrive in the blood. Prolotherapy may also play a role in the secretion of tissue growth factors that aid in the body’s ability to identify and replace damaged tissue.

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At Right Path Podiatry, we use a combination of sterile glucose with a local anaesthetic and inject it around the injured site. Some of the conditions Prolotherapy can treat:

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•   Achilles tendon issues

•    Superficial tendon injuries

•    Tibialis posterior tendon injuries

•    Persistent pain due to overuse of tendons or ligaments