Overview

What PRP injections are and how they help joints

Platelet-rich plasma is your own blood spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets several times above normal. Platelets carry growth factors that direct tissue repair: they recruit repair cells, stimulate collagen production and moderate the inflammatory signals that keep a joint painful. Injected into a joint, a tendon or a ligament, PRP delivers those growth factors directly to tissue that has a poor blood supply of its own, which is why tendons and cartilage heal slowly without help.

The evidence is strongest for mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee, where clinical trials have shown improvements in pain and function lasting six to twelve months, often longer than a steroid injection and without its effect on cartilage. PRP is also used for chronic tendon problems such as tennis elbow, patellar and Achilles tendinopathy and rotator cuff tendinosis, for ligament sprains and for plantar fasciitis. It is a treatment for the tissue itself, so it works best when there is tissue left to repair: advanced arthritis with bone-on-bone wear responds poorly.

Patients from Manhasset, Great Neck, Port Washington and across Nassau County come to Rethink with knee pain that limits walking or sport, with shoulders that ache at night, and with tendon injuries that have not settled with rest and physical therapy, often looking for an option before surgery or repeated steroid injections.

What it treats

What PRP joint injections treat

PRP is used where a joint, tendon or ligament is painful because of wear or injury and the tissue is still able to repair. The assessment at the consultation, with any imaging you already have, confirms whether your condition is a good match.

  • Knee osteoarthritis, mild to moderate
  • Knee tendons and ligaments: patellar tendinopathy, sprains
  • Shoulder: rotator cuff tendinosis and partial tears, bursitis
  • Elbow: tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
  • Hip: osteoarthritis and gluteal tendinopathy
  • Ankle and foot: Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains
  • Hands and wrists: thumb base arthritis, tendon irritation
  • Recovery support after injury or surgery, in coordination with your surgeon

How it works

How a PRP joint injection works at Rethink

A session takes 45 to 60 minutes in a private treatment suite at 496 Plandome Road in Manhasset. New patients begin with a complimentary consultation. Bring any recent X-ray or MRI reports.

01

Consultation and assessment

Tami takes the history of your pain and injury, examines the joint and how you move, and reviews any imaging and previous treatments such as physical therapy, steroid injections or surgery. She explains whether PRP is likely to help your condition, how many injections to expect and what to stop beforehand: anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen is paused for a week before and two weeks after, because it blunts the platelets.

02

Blood draw and preparation

A sample of blood, larger than for a skin treatment but still a routine draw, is taken from your arm and spun in a centrifuge for about ten minutes. The platelet-rich layer is separated and drawn into a syringe. The volume and concentration are matched to the joint: a knee takes a larger volume than a tendon at the elbow.

03

Injection

The skin is cleansed and numbed. The PRP is injected into the joint space or along the damaged tendon or ligament through a single needle placement, with the joint positioned to open the target. The injection takes a few minutes. Pressure and a small dressing follow, and you rest for a few minutes before leaving.

04

Recovery and follow-up

Expect soreness and stiffness for two to five days, which is the repair response beginning. Rest the joint for 48 hours, then return to light activity, with sport and heavy loading resumed gradually over two to four weeks as Tami advises. A follow-up at four to six weeks reviews progress and decides whether a second or third injection is needed.

Results

Results, how long they last and recovery

PRP works gradually. Pain often improves within two to six weeks, and function keeps improving for three months as the tissue remodels. For knee osteoarthritis, clinical studies report relief lasting six to twelve months after a course of one to three injections, with some patients staying comfortable longer. Tendon injuries follow a similar timeline, with strength returning over two to three months. Results are better in earlier disease, in patients who keep moving and strengthen the surrounding muscles, and when weight and activity are managed alongside the injection.

Recovery is short. Two to five days of soreness, occasionally a week, then a gradual return to normal activity. Because the injection is your own blood, allergic reactions do not occur; the main risks are those of any injection, infection and bleeding, which sterile technique and screening keep rare. There is no steroid in PRP, so it can be repeated without the cartilage and tendon weakening that repeated cortisone carries.

Candidates and safety

Who is a good candidate for PRP joint injections

PRP suits adults with mild to moderate osteoarthritis, chronic tendon or ligament injuries that have not settled with rest and physical therapy, and active patients who want to avoid or delay surgery and repeated steroid injections. It is a good fit when imaging shows tissue that is worn but present, and when you are willing to pause anti-inflammatories around the treatment and follow a gradual return to activity.

PRP is not recommended for advanced, bone-on-bone arthritis, where joint replacement is the more honest answer, for an actively infected joint or skin, or during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Platelet or clotting disorders, anticoagulant therapy, active cancer and uncontrolled diabetes are reasons to decline or to coordinate with your physician first. Recent steroid injection in the same joint means waiting several weeks. Smoking and heavy alcohol use reduce platelet quality. If the examination points to a condition that needs orthopedic or rheumatologic care, Tami refers you before treating.

Pricing

Quoted at your complimentary consultationStarting price

PRP injection cost in Manhasset

The price depends on the joint, the volume of plasma prepared and the number of injections in the course, usually one to three. Tami quotes the cost per injection and for the full course at your complimentary consultation, before anything is scheduled. PRP for joints is not covered by insurance, including Medicare, outside clinical studies. Treatment packages and payment plans are available.

Serving Manhasset, Great Neck, Port Washington and Garden City, Nassau County and Long Island's North Shore. New patients receive a complimentary consultation.

Woman in a forward fold stretch in an airy room, keeping joints mobile

Why Rethink

Why patients choose Rethink for PRP joint injections

PRP joint injections at Rethink are performed by Tami Abramov, MSN, FNP-BC, a board-certified family nurse practitioner whose clinical background includes pain management and interventional radiology, fields built on joint and soft-tissue procedures, careful assessment of pain and precise needle placement. She draws the blood, prepares the plasma and performs the injection herself, and she says plainly when a joint is beyond what PRP can do.

The practice sees one patient at a time in a private suite in Manhasset, on Long Island’s North Shore, with time set aside to explain the recovery plan and the return to activity. Joint injections connect to the wellness side of the menu, from weight management that unloads painful knees to IV and vitamin support during recovery. Consultations are complimentary, and the full course is quoted in advance.

Meet Tami

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What are PRP injections?

PRP injections deliver platelet-rich plasma, prepared from your own blood by spinning it in a centrifuge, into a painful joint, tendon or ligament. The concentrated platelets release growth factors that reduce inflammation and stimulate repair of cartilage and connective tissue. A course is one to three injections, four to six weeks apart.

Do PRP injections work for knee arthritis?

For mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis, clinical trials show meaningful improvement in pain and function for six to twelve months, often better and longer-lasting than a steroid injection, without weakening cartilage. Results are poor in advanced, bone-on-bone arthritis, and Tami will say so after examining you and reviewing your imaging.

How much do PRP injections cost?

The cost depends on the joint and the number of injections and is quoted at your complimentary consultation, per injection and for the full course. Packages and payment plans are available.

Does insurance cover PRP injections?

No. PRP for joints is considered investigational by most insurers, and Medicare covers it only within approved clinical studies, so it is paid privately. The consultation itself is complimentary.

Do PRP injections hurt?

The blood draw feels like a routine lab test, and the injection is done after numbing the skin. Most patients feel pressure and a brief ache as the joint is filled. Soreness for two to five days afterward is expected and is the repair response; acetaminophen is used, since anti-inflammatories are paused around the treatment.

How long do the results last?

Six to twelve months for knee osteoarthritis after a course of one to three injections, with some patients comfortable for longer. Tendon injuries that heal may not need further treatment. A repeat injection is possible when symptoms return, and PRP can be repeated without the tissue damage that repeated cortisone carries.

When can I exercise again?

Rest the joint for 48 hours, then return to walking and light activity. Avoid heavy loading and sport for two to four weeks, then rebuild gradually with the strengthening program Tami discusses with you. Skip anti-inflammatory medication for two weeks after the injection.

Beige plaster wall with soft window shadows

Book a complimentary consultation

Book a complimentary consultation in Manhasset. Tami will examine the joint, review your imaging, tell you whether PRP is likely to help and quote the course before anything is scheduled.

Book Online Call or Text (516) 464-0057