PRPGraft.com

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

Prolotherapy & Platelet Rich Plasma with Wellington Chen, M.D.

& the Gecko Team.

The Team at Advanced Wellness Center

Years of experience and training in the field of regenerative injections are why you might choose Dr. Chen as your doctor for these treatments. Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy or PRP is Prolotherapy using your own blood. Your blood is placed into a machine that looks like a record player. The platelet rich plasma is spun down and this solution is then injected into area’s that are damaged or arthritic.

Click on one of the button’s below to explore videos and information on how Gecko’s Regenerative therapies work on some specific conditions.

Advanced Wellness is Sarasota’s Regenerative Clinic!

Doctor Chen attended Northestern University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Florida, and UF Dept. of Anesthesiology.

Emergency Medical Work includes: Citrus Memorial Hospital, Inverness, FL, Encino Hospital, Ca (Dir of Emergency Medicine, 1978 – 1983) , Glendale Memorial Hospital, Venice HospitalFlorida , Doctors Hospital, Sarasota Englewood Hospital, Florida, Citrus Memorial Hospital,Crystal River, Florida.

He studied Under the University of Wisconsin as well as with the orthomolecular Institute on both Prolotherapy and Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy. He has been performing Prolotherapy for 6 years and was the first to offer PRP in Sarasota, Florida.

“I’m commited to offering the finest and most advanced regenerative injection therapies to my patients in a warm, caring and of course most comfortable/ pain free way possible.”

About PRP therapy:

This is a video explaining PRP.

This video shows how ligament damage can often be the cause of chronic neck pain.

Watch this video on PRP regenerating Cartilage.


 Gecko Joint & Spine

“where things grow back”

Call us for more information on how PRP works at (941) 330-8553 or e-mail me at AskDoctorJL@Gmail.com

 

Yours in Health,

 Wellington, Chen M.D.

Lieurance, John D.C.

2222 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

Posted in Back Pain, Knee pain, neck pain, Platelet Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy, TMJ | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chronic Elbow & Neck Pain treated with Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP. Watch how it’s done.

Posted on January 15, 2012 by admin

Chronic Elbow & Neck Pain treated with Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP. Watch how it’s done. Using your own blood to create healing in your body is new in orthopedics. See why this is the future of medicine.

Posted in Platelet Rich Plasma, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

PRP for the Rotator Cuff. Avoiding Shoulder Surgery with New Stem Cell Treatment.

Posted on December 22, 2011 by admin

PRP for the Rotator Cuff. Avoiding Shoulder Surgery with New Stem Cell Treatment. She found us and decided to try PRP before her surgery and found that her shoulder pain and function returned shortly after ultrasound guided platelet rich plasma therapy was performed.

Posted in Platelet Rich Plasma | Leave a comment

House Cleaner Avoids knee surgery with PRP/ Stem Cell Therapy

Posted on December 22, 2011 by admin

This was a patient of ours that was scheduled for knee surgery. She found us and decided to try PRP before her surgery and found that her knee pain and function returned shortly after ultrasound guided platelet rich plasma therapy was performed.

Posted in Knee pain | Leave a comment

PRP Injections for ski injury to knee. Rebuild cartilage, ligament and tendons.

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

Introduction with Dr. Lieurance.

 

A Patient’s Testimonial on PRP for her knee.

PRP Explained.

 

 

 Gecko Joint & Spine

“where things grow back”

Call us for more information on how PRP works at (941) 330-8553 or e-mail me at AskDoctorJL@Gmail.com

 

Yours in Health,

 Wellington, Chen M.D.

Lieurance, John D.C.

2222 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

Posted in Back Pain, Knee pain, neck pain, Platelet Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy, TMJ, Trigger Point Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Retrospective Study Shows Prolotherapy is Effective in the Treatment of MRI-Documented Meniscal Tears and Degeneration

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

The Case for Utilizing Prolotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Meniscal Pathology: A Retrospective Study Shows Prolotherapy is Effective in the Treatment of MRI-Documented Meniscal Tears and Degeneration
Ross A. Hauser, MD, Hilary J. Phillips, and Havil S. Maddela

ABSTRACT
Meniscus injuries are a common cause of knee pain, accounting for one sixth of knee surgeries. Tears are the most common form of meniscal injuries, and have poor healing ability primarily because less than 25% of the menisci receive a direct blood supply. While surgical treatments have ranged from total to partial meniscectomy, meniscal repair and even meniscus transplantation, all have a high long-term failure rate with the recurrence of symptoms including pain, instability, locking (see loose bodies), and re-injury. The most serious of the longterm consequences is an acceleration of joint degeneration. This poor healing potential of meniscus tears and degeneration has led to the investigation of methods to stimulate biological meniscal repair.

Research has shown that damaged menisci lack the growth factors to heal. In vitro studies have found that growth factors, including platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor (TGF), and others, augment menisci cell proliferation and collagen growth manifold. See The Regeneration of Articular Cartilage with Prolotherapy

Animal studies with these same growth factors have confirmed that meniscal tears and degeneration can be stimulated to repair with various growth factors or solutions that stimulate growth factor production. The injection technique whereby the proliferation of cells is stimulated via growth factor production is called Prolotherapy.

Prolotherapy solution can include dextrose, human growth hormone (HGH), platelet rich plasma, and others, all of which stimulate connective tissue cells to proliferate. A retrospective study was done involving 24 patients, representing 28 knees, whose primary knee complaints were due to meniscal pathology documented by MRI. The average number of Prolotherapy visits was six and the patients were followed on average 18 months after their last Prolotherapy visit.

Prolotherapy caused a statistically significant decline in the patients’ knee pain and stiffness. Starting and ending knee pain declined from 7.2 to 1.6, while stiffness went from 6.0 to 1.8. Prolotherapy caused large improvements in other clinically relevant areas such as range of motion, crepitation, exercise, and walking ability. Patients stated that the response to Prolotherapy met their expectations in 27 out of the 28 knees (96%)

Only one out of the 28 patients ended up getting surgery after Prolotherapy. Based on the results of this study, Prolotherapy appears to be an effective treatment for meniscal pathology. While this is only a pilot study, the results are so overwhelmingly positive that it warrants using Prolotherapy as first-line therapy for meniscal pathology including meniscal tears and degeneration.

Epidemiology of Meniscal Injuries
Knee injuries are a common concern resulting in over 1 million surgeries performed to the knee in the United States every year.1-3 According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, knee injuries account for 10% to 19% of high school sports injuries and 60.3% of all high school athletic-related surgeries.4 Similar studies of collegiate sports have shown that knee injuries make up 7% to 54% of athletic injuries, varying by the nature of the sport.5-9 The leading injuries to the knee, in both adults and children alike, are primarily patellofemoral derangements or ligament strains and tears.10-12

Secondary to these injuries are meniscal tears, which have generated particular interest in both the young and elderly population as studies over the past several decades have revealed a rise in both degenerative and traumatic meniscal injuries. Meniscal tears occur as early as childhood, where they serve as the leading cause of pediatric arthroscopy, and increase with age and activity.13,14 An estimated one sixth of knee surgeries are performed for lesions of the meniscus, and it is likely that many more remain untreated every year.15,16 In one study of cadaver knees, untreated meniscal lesions were found in 34% of the autopsied subjects.17 A significant percentage of meniscal injuries result from athletic injury. On a professional level, meniscal tears accounted for 0.7% of all injuries sustained in the National Basketball Association, totaling 3,819 days missed by NBA athletes over a 10 year span.18

In college sports, studies conducted over a 16 year span by the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System found internal knee derangement was second only to ankle sprains in both men’s and women’s college basketball and men’s and women’s soccer.5-8 An independent study of college football had equally devastating statistics, reporting injuries to the meniscus in roughly one in five elite college football athletes.9 With participation in college sports on the rise, the number of meniscal injuries and subsequent surgeries are consequently rising at an alarming rate.19 Although athletes appear to have the highest instance of injury, meniscus injuries can happen anywhere, regardless of a person’s level of activity. A research study conducted in Greece showed that meniscal tears developed equally from traumatic and non-traumatic causes with 72% of all meniscal tears occurring during normal activities of daily living.20

Anatomy and Function
The menisci (plural of meniscus) are a pair of C-shaped fibrocartilages which lie between the femur and tibia in each knee, extending peripherally along each medial and lateral aspect of the knee. (See Figure 1.) The anatomy of both menisci is essentially the same, with the only exception being that the medial meniscus is slightly more circular than its hemispherical lateral counterpart. Each meniscus has a flat underside to match the smooth top of the tibial surface, and a concave superior shape to provide congruency with the convex femoral condyle. Anterior and posterior horns from each meniscus then attach to the tibia to hold them in place. The meniscus is comprised of approximately 70% water and 30% organic matter. This organic matter is primarily a fibrous collagen matrix consisting of type I collagen, fibrochondrocytes, Proteoglycans, and a small amount of dry noncollagenous matter.21,27 There has been a great deal of speculation and research dedicated to what exact function the meniscus serves, but today there is general consensus that the menisci provide stability in the joint, nutrition and lubrication to articular cartilage, and shock absorption during movement.21-25 The menisci provide stability to the knee joint by both restricting motion and providing a contour surface for tibiofemoral bone tracking. The function of stability is shared with several ligaments which work together to prevent overextension of any motion. The transverse ligament connects the two menisci in the front of each knee and prevents them from being pushed outside of the joint at any point. Hypermobility is avoided through the connection of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) to the medial tibial condyle, femoral condyle, and medial meniscus, and the connection of the lateral collateral ligaments (LCL) to the lateral femoral epicondyle and the head of the fibula; these ligaments provide tension and limit motion during full flexion and extension, respectively. The anterior and posterior meniscofemoral ligaments form an attachment between the lateral meniscus and the femur and remain taut during complete flexion. Lastly, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are responsible for preventing too much backward or forward motion of the tibia.23,24 The menisci also provide shock absorption and stability by equally distributing weight across the joint.

 

 Gecko Joint & Spine

“where things grow back”

Call us for more information on how PRP works at (941) 330-8553 or e-mail me at AskDoctorJL@Gmail.com

 

Yours in Health,

 Wellington, Chen M.D.

Lieurance, John D.C.

2222 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

Posted in Knee pain, Platelet Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why can’t I use massage instead?

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

This was a great question one of our readers asked recently. Please see my response at the end!

I am sorry, but this is an illogical treatment and I cannot let this article pass without providing other, possibly uninformed, readers with some type of option.

Why not try massage therapy before invading and possibly damaging muscle tissue in this rash manner? Massage therapy can provide permanent improvement to TMJ dysfunction without using any harmful or invasive methods- no needles, no synthetic chemicals. It can reduce the pain a client is experiencing while realigning the tissues causing the pressure and dysfunction, aka, solve the problem completely. Not to mention the tension release massage therapy provides, which may have been the initiating source of the TMJ dysfunction in the first place. For a couple of examples, tooth grinding while asleep and jaw clenching when stressed… Both products of a uncontrolled stressful lifestyle.

With sciatica, the sciatic nerve is impinged by the piriformis muscle to cause pain. Once the pressure is released with posture corrective massage, the nerve stops sending pain signals. Much simpler than having a hip injection.

IT IS NOT my intention to disbar this medical treatment in favor of holistic methods, on the contrary, I have great respect for the medical field and the education involved therein. However, there is very little apparent common sense in going straight to such invasive and expensive treatments such as the one in question without even consulting a practitioner who can treat for less expense, less pain, and less damage during treatment.

Let me close by asking this:

What is the use of injecting collagen into a muscle that has reduced venous feed, outflow, and nervous function? It is common knowledge (within my professional field, albeit) that the medication may do very little if it cannot be distributed properly to the tissues affected.

Please, answer me this so that I might better understand why this treatment is considered effective

- R.W. , MTS

Hi R.W.,
Thanks for asking. I appreciate your feedback. We have an integrated center here and offer massage therapy, chiropractic, physical therapy and strength training. Many of our patients have used these methods prior to prp or prolo. Many are at a last resort and these have failed. Both prolo and PRP are natural substances. The PRP is a persons own blood and the Prolo is dextrose which is a sugar. They are not injected into muscles but into the ligaments or tendons where they attach to the bone which is called the enthesis. These are are’s that are frequently the cause of chronic instability or muscle splinting. We also see great response to using these substances in injections into the joints like the knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle to stimulate repair in the cartalige. There is a synergy between these treatments along with massage as I recognize the limit these injections will make on joint mechanics (function) and muscular adhesions. I appreciate your post RW and I hope I have been helpful.
Your’s in Health,
Wellington Chen, M.D.
PRPGRaft.com

Hi R.W.,
Thanks for asking. I appreciate your feedback. We have an integrated center here and offer massage therapy, chiropractic, physical therapy and strength training. Many of our patients have used these methods prior to prp or prolo. Many are at a last resort and these have failed. Both prolo and PRP are natural substances. The PRP is a persons own blood and the Prolo is dextrose which is a sugar. They are not injected into muscles but into the ligaments or tendons where they attach to the bone which is called the enthesis. These are are’s that are frequently the cause of chronic instability or muscle splinting. We also see great response to using these substances in injections into the joints like the knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle to stimulate repair in the cartalige. There is a synergy between these treatments along with massage as I recognize the limit these injections will make on joint mechanics (function) and muscular adhesions. I appreciate your post RW and I hope I have been helpful.

 Gecko Joint & Spine

“where things grow back”

Call us for more information on how PRP works at (941) 330-8553 or e-mail me at AskDoctorJL@Gmail.com

 

Yours in Health,

 Wellington, Chen M.D.

Lieurance, John D.C.

2222 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

Posted in Back Pain, Knee pain, Massage Therapy, neck pain, Platelet Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy, studies, TMJ, Trigger Point Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Loose bodies on Arthroscopy: Another reason to get PRP and Prolotherapy!

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

Loose bodies on Arthroscopy:
Another reason to get PRP and Prolotherapy!

By Ross Hauser, MD

Loose bodies are fragments of bone, cartilage, or collagen that are located in the joint cavities. The most common location is the knee. Sometimes these loose bodies, truly are loose, they move freely within the joint and can be entrapped between the articular surfaces of say the knee bones (like the femur and tibia). This can cause symptoms such as intermittent joint locking, limitation of motion, pain and sometimes swelling. There are other types of loose bodies that are not so loose. The fragments attach into a bursa (a fluid filled sac that prevents friction between bone and soft tissue structure such as a tendon) or stabilize onto some structure such as the synovium. Most loose bodies do not produce symptoms and are found incidentally on X-ray. The diagnosis of loose bodies is essentially based on X-ray findings because there is not one specific clinical finding.(1)

Loose bodies were one of the reasons that “clean out” arthroscopicies became so popular. These arthroscopies were done to clean out all these nasty loose bodies from a patient’s knee. There are many different types of loose bodies, but some do represent chips of cartilage or meniscus. Obviously if someone has lost a piece of their cartilage or meniscus, it may be a good idea to get Prolotherapy to the injured area. (See A Retrospective Study Shows Prolotherapy is Effective in the Treatment of MRI-Documented Meniscal Tears)

Let’s review one knee arthroscopy report from January 2010.

Preoperative Diagnosis: loose joint body, left knee.

Postoperative Diagnoses:
1. Multiple loose joint bodies, left knee.
2. Torn medial meniscus.
3. Grade 3 changes of the patellofemoral joint, left knee.

Procedure Performed: Video arthroscopy, partial medial meniscectomy, chondroplasty of the patellofemoral joint with removal of multiple loose joint bodies, left knee.

Gross Findings: A 51-year-old male who has developed a floating loose joint body around his left knee. This has been ongoing since the end of December, not associated with any traumatic event. Occasional loose joint body will catch patellofemoral joint and causes pain. He has had some swelling. X-ray showed a probable loose joint body in the medial gutter. Due to his failure to improve with conservative treatment, he elected to proceed with surgical intervention. Procedure complication, postoperative convalescence were explained in detail. He did elect to proceed.

Description of Procedure: The patient was taken to the operating room and general anesthetic was administered by the department of anesthesia. He was given 1g of kefzol intravenous piggyback prior to surgery. Left leg was elevated, exsanguinated, and a pneumatic tourniquet was inflated to 300mmHg. Left leg was placed in a leg holding device. The left knee was sterilely prepped and draped in the usual fashion from the ankle to the leg holding device.

Surgery began with the insertion of the artrhoscope through a lateral infrapatellar puncture site. The arthroscopic instruments were inserted through a medical infrapatellar puncture site. The arthroscopic pump was inserted through a medial suprapatellar puncture site. Examination of suprapatellar pouch revealed copious synovial fluid. There was multiple cartilaginous loose joint bodies floating around within the knee. There is grade 3 changes of the patellofemoral joint including the trochlea. An oscillating chondroplasty performed. The arthroscope was taken down through the medial gutter. I did not see any bony loose joint bodies, although there are a lot of cartilaginous loose joint bodies. Examination of the medial compartment revealed some mild…

As you can see from this report, one of the post-operative diagnoses was multiple loose bodies, as well as a torn meniscus and patellofemoral joint grade 3 chondromalacia changes. This person actually has many reasons to need Prolotherapy after this arthroscopy. Cartilage damage beneath the knee cap (grade 3 is not quite bone on bone, but it is heading there) and a torn medial meniscus are successfully treated with Prolotherapy.

One of the reasons for writing this article is just to educate folks on loose bodies. You can see in the body of the report the orthopedic surgeon wrote, “I did not see any bony loose joint bodies, although there are a lot of cartilaginous loose bodies.”

What this means is the loose bodies were made of cartilage instead of bone. How did this occur? Most likely the person experienced the gradual deterioration of cartilage from poor tracking of the patella on the femur, and eventually some of the cartilage particles became loose and went into the joint. It is my opinion that Prolotherapy could have stopped this process. Unfortunately, I saw this patient after arthroscopy instead of before the arthroscopy!

I am sure you realize by now that this patient came to see me at Caring Medical because he still has pain post-surgery. This particular patient essentially received no pain relief with the arthroscopy and very quickly came in for Prolotherapy. He is improving steadily with Prolotherapy. Because of the extensive damage to his knee, some of which was actually caused by the arthroscopy, he will need a few more treatments. Just look at the report. An oscillating chondroplasty was performed! What do you think this means? The definition of chondroplasty is “reshaping the joint surface” and refers to surgical techniques whereby damaged joint surface is cut, scraped, lasered or burred away (or in this case oscillated away) in the hope that the healthy joint surface will heal over the defect. I am sure somewhere in the world a patient exists where chondroplasty actually did heal the defect, but I have not found that person in my practice. The patients I see tell me that the procedure gave them temporary or no relief. They are subsequently left with less knee cartilage than they had prior to the chondroplasty! I say there is a better way, and that way is Prolotherapy!

Surgeons have been removing loose bodies since orthopedic surgery was invented.2 Whether you read Mayo Clinic’s information on loose bodies they will all tell you that it is a radiographic diagnosis and you can never really tell which symptoms, if any, are coming from the loose bodies. I can tell you this, if you found out you have loose bodies on an X-ray, I can recommend you receive Prolotherapy before arthroscopy because the loose bodies alone most likely represent Degenerative Joint Disease . You have degenerative joint disease, whether the underlying bone has broken off (like a bone spur) or cartilage (like underneath the knee cap in chondromalacia) or meniscus tissue (remember, this is fibrocartilage which contains both type I and II collagen and is both tough and flexible). Whatever the damaged tissue, it needs regeneration. The medical procedure to regenerate damaged tissue in joints is Prolotherapy. By stimulating tissue repair, Prolotherapy will most likely eliminate the knee pain. What about the loose bodies? What about it? Millions of people have them and they cause no problems and the people do not even worry about them. So why do you?

Comment:

Unfortunatly so many orthopedics gauge their diagnosis and treatment solely off MRI findings. I have personally been to a few for my own injuries years ago and had orthopedics who never even touched my injury. This is why it is important to have a physicain who is objective and does a good exam. Here we see excellent results with knee’s with PRP and Prolotherapy and I hope you will find either a Prolotherapy Doc. close to you or call our office to schedule to see us.

 Gecko Joint & Spine

“where things grow back”

Call us for more information on how PRP works at (941) 330-8553 or e-mail me at AskDoctorJL@Gmail.com

 

Yours in Health,

 Wellington, Chen M.D.

Lieurance, John D.C.

2222 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

Posted in Knee pain, Platelet Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A BRAND NEW WAY TO GET RID OF PAIN FOR GOOD CALLED PROLOTHERAPY.

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

A BRAND NEW WAY TO GET RID OF PAIN FOR GOOD
By Barbara Tunick
© Woman’s World Magazine

If there’s one good thing about having a bad headache or backache, it’s that the pain is temporary. Pop a pill or get a good or get a good night’s sleep, and you can reasonably assume the problem will clear up. Or will it? Statistics show 86 million Americans experience pain almost every day, due to arthritis or chronic conditions like sciatica. And doctors estimate tens of millions more will join in the decades to come.

But now a new treatment has emerged that could end it forever. Called Prolotherapy, it involves injecting a special solution right where the pain starts. ” It’s a mixture of natural substances that stimulates the body’s healing process”, explains Ross A. Hauser, M.D., author of Prolo Your Pain Away. And in clinical studies, it has partially or completely relieved pain for as many as 93% of chronic sufferers.

Here’s everything you need to know about it:

How it works:
“The underlying cause of most chronic pain is unstable ligaments,” explains pain specialist Barry Beaty, D.O. Ligaments that have deteriorated over time can’t properly stabilize the bones they connect, which sets up a chain reaction that triggers pain signals.

The substance used in prolotherapy prompt the production of collagen, which repairs and reinforces ligaments and cartilage and builds stronger joints. The result: “Pain relief -and improved function and flexibility “, says Dr. Hauser.

Whom it helps:
Researchers report that prolotherapy can slash chronic back pain in half, and studies suggest it cuts the pain of knee arthritis 44%. “But it also relieves other types of arthritis as well as migraines and chronic tension headaches,” Dr. Hauser says, “by correcting weak ligaments in the neck that trigger painful spasms.”

What’s it like:
“The needles are very thin, similar to acupuncture needles, and a local anesthetic is used to numb the injection site,” Dr. Hauser explains. Each treatment takes five to 10 minutes, and can be up to six weeks apart.

Prolotherapy is usually with dextrose and a anesthetic such as lidocaine which is injected into the damaged area in order to produce a local inflammitory response that stimulates strengthening of the area. Usually these area’s like the medial condyle or any ligament in the back or a joint are of a low vascular nature. This makes it hard for the body to heal them on its own and why prolotherapy and also PRP therapy work well for these injuries. We have been performing these treatments since 1998 in our Sarasota clinic.

 Gecko Joint & Spine

“where things grow back”

Call us for more information on how PRP works at (941) 330-8553 or e-mail me at AskDoctorJL@Gmail.com

 

Yours in Health,

 Wellington, Chen M.D.

Lieurance, John D.C.

2222 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

Posted in Back Pain, Platelet Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Lehman finds releif for nagging elbow injury using Prolotherapy same as Sarasota Clinic Advanced Wellness Center.

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Wellington Chen, M.D.

Tom Lehman always has loved the challenge of playing in big events, so it’s not surprising that he is excited about this season after an injury-plagued 2008.

During one seven-week stretch this summer, Lehman could play in five major championships, and could tee it up in seven majors combined on the PGA and Champions tours.

The Scottsdale resident, a former PGA Tour Player of the Year and Ryder Cup captain, turned 50 last month and is making his Champions Tour debut Friday in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah, Ga.

“It’s nice to finally be here,” Lehman said during a conference call Wednesday. “Turning 50 has its ups and downs and one of the true bright spots is being able to have a chance to come out here on the Champions Tour and play golf.”

Lehman, whose partner in the 54-hole event is Bernhard Langer, has shown this season that he still can play the game at a high level. Last month in the Transitions Championship, he held the lead after 54 holes before tying for eighth with a final-round 75. He also was among the early leaders in last week’s Verizon Heritage before tying for 21st.

While that might make it more difficult for some to move over to the senior circuit, the opposite is true for Lehman, who said he would feel better about leaving the PGA Tour when his game is sharp.

“That’s one thing I’ve thought about is, at what point do you say goodbye to the tour?” he said. “I always wanted to do it on a positive note. You don’t want to wear out your welcome.

“So I’ve been looking for that upward note now for a couple of years. That’s why the renewed commitment to my golf game is that I don’t want to just kind of disappear. I’d like to play well and then say goodbye.”

Chances of that happening appeared dim last year when Lehman was bothered by nagging tendonitis in his right elbow. He missed the cut in nine of 17 events and called it a season in August.

It reached a point where, anytime he swung a club higher that his waist, pain would shoot through his elbow and it was even more intense at impact. Lehman tried several forms of treatment before he discovered prolotherapy, a non-surgical procedure for chronic pain.

This year also got off to a rocky start as he missed the cut in his first four events, including the FBR Open, but then the treatment and his work with swing coach Jim Flick started to pay off.

Because of prior commitments and obligations, Lehman plans to play in about 15 PGA and 10 Champions events this year before making a full transition to the senior tour.

Making the move easier is that he has plenty of contemporaries on the senior circuit now and several more will be joining them soon.

Langer, Ben Crenshaw, Mark O’Meara, Nike Price, Jay Haas and Tom Kite are players Lehman has battled often in his career. And this year’s “rookie” crop includes Bob Tway, Fred Couples, Tom Pernice Jr., David Frost and Tommy Armour III.

The Legends field features 12 World Golf Hall of Fame members and the winners of 134 tour titles, including 74 majors.

Already, Lehman said, many of them have tried to scam him on the driving range, which is exactly what he expected.

“You get the same song and dance from everybody,” the former British Open champion said. “It’s a bunch of guys who say they can’t play anymore and, ‘Just take it easy on us.’ I know better. That’s like being set up on the first tee . . . and the guy shoots 66.

“I find if very enjoyable to hear that because these guys are having fun but they are still competitive and still know how to win.”

Last month, Lehman said this year’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine, near his hometown of Minneapolis, could mark the end of his PGA Tour days.

“I shouldn’t open my mouth, but that to me seems like the way to go out,” he said. “PGA Championship, in my hometown, go play, say bye-bye.

“But only if I’m playing well.”

Comment:

Elbow pain with golfers is usually medial epicondylitis. This is where the tendon inserts onto the bone and due to repetitive stress the area becomes damaged and weak. Prolotherapy is usually with dextrose and a anesthetic such as lidocaine which is injected into thwe damaged area in order to produce a local inflammitory response that stimulates strengthening of the area. Usually these area’s like the medial condyle are of a low vascular nature. This makes it hard for the body to heal them on its own and why prolotherapy and also PRP therapy work well for these injuries. We have been performing these treatments since 1998 in our Sarasota clinic.

 Gecko Joint & Spine

“where things grow back”

Call us for more information on how PRP works at (941) 330-8553 or e-mail me at AskDoctorJL@Gmail.com

 

Yours in Health,

 Wellington, Chen M.D.

Lieurance, John D.C.

2222 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, FL 34239

Posted in Back Pain, Prolotherapy, Trigger Point Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment