PRP for Patellar Tendinopathy? The Jury is still out

Is there strong evidence for using PRP to treat Patellar Tendinitis/Tendinopathy?

Not according to this recent study!

This study was just published in AJSM, a well-respected, high impact Sports Medicine Journal. Authors include well know lecturers and active clinical researchers in orthobiologics at major academic centers. The study was prospective and randomized with 1 year follow-up. Patients all had persistent symptoms with or without activity for at least 6 months. 19 patients got a single LR-PRP injection, 19 patients got LP-PRP, 19 patients got placebo normal saline. All patients had rehab. At no time in follow-up was ANY group’s results superior. So…..we can argue about the sample size being maybe a little small….or about the technique being only a single injection….or about the platelet “dose” delivered….but there is pretty good level 1 data here that PRP for patellar tendinopathy is by no means a “slam dunk” and that we might just need some level 1 evidence showing efficacy of PRP for patellar tendinopathy!