Jamie Salé, the well known ice skater, recently sustained an injury to her left supraspinatus. Wear and tear normally associated with skating and training caused the injury. Salé opted to undergo what is still largely considered an experimental treatment, PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) therapy to treat it.
Jamie Salé is an Olympic-level ice skater. She holds the distinction of being the youngest ever member of the Canadian Olympic team. Salé started out as one half of a skating pair, with Jason Turner being the other half of a pretty successful ice skating duo. The partners skated together in the Olympics and the World Championships, though they never took home the top prize. Today, Salé competes alone.
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy, the treatment Salé underwent to treat her torn supraspinatus, utilizes a person’s own blood to jumpstart and speed up the healing process. Blood contains platelet rich plasma which is, in part, responsible for healing bone and soft tissue injuries. It involves drawing a small amount of blood, placing it in a centrifuge, where it is spun and all of the components separated. The platelets are then injected into the body at the site of the injury.
Jamie Salé opted to use PRP therapy at the behest of her doctor. He believed that this particular treatment was the best treatment option because the tear wasn’t large enough to warrant surgery.
According to Salé, a single vial of blood was drawn. An hour later it was injected into her shoulder. For the first minute, Jamie felt very little. Soon after, however, she felt a great deal of pressure and some pain once the platelets started to clot. After the first procedure, each subsequent procedure took about 20 minutes. Salé was given a painkiller following each procedure. The area was also iced. After about one week, the swelling begin to subside. It took about one month for the pain to follow suit.
Jamie’s shoulder has been feeling a great deal better since the procedure. The tightness has subsided as has much of the pain. PRP therapy has thus proven to quite effective.
You can follow Jamie and her progress via Twitter @JamieSale
