PRP vs Shockwave Therapy for Stubborn Tendon Pain?
For tendon pain that has not responded to rehabilitation, two non-surgical options come up at Ringwood Sports Medicine:
PRP vs shockwave therapy. Both aim to stimulate the body’s natural healing, but they work in very different ways. This guide compares how each works, what recovery looks like, and the situations where each tends to fit.
Two ways to treat stubborn tendon pain
Chronic tendon problems can persist because the tissue heals slowly and rehabilitation alone does not always resolve the symptoms. Both PRP and shockwave therapy are used to encourage healing in tissue that has stalled, but one works by delivering a biological concentrate to the area and the other by delivering energy to it.
How PRP works
PRP therapy uses a concentrated portion of your own blood, rich in platelets that release growth factors. Delivered to the affected tendon under ultrasound guidance, the aim is to promote tissue repair, collagen production and cellular regeneration. You can read the full detail on the PRP therapy page.
PRP involves a small blood draw and a procedure that typically takes 20 to 40 minutes. It is minimally invasive, and it is common to have some soreness for several days afterward as part of the healing response, with strenuous activity avoided for the first 48 hours.
How shockwave therapy works
Shockwave therapy delivers high energy acoustic waves to injured tissue through a handheld device. It works to provide pain relief, reduce inflammation and stimulate natural healing, including improved blood circulation and tendon remodelling. Ringwood Sports Medicine offers both focus shockwave therapy and radial shockwave therapy, with focus shockwave able to reach deeper structures than radial.
Shockwave is non-invasive with no needle and no downtime, so you can return to most activities immediately. Most patients begin to feel better after the first or second session, with significant improvement typically after three to five sessions. There is a small additional cost for shockwave therapy which you can discuss with our reception team or your treating physiotherapist.
Key differences at a glance
The practical differences come down to a few points. PRP is minimally invasive and uses your own blood, with a short rest period afterward, and may require more than one treatment. Shockwave is non-invasive, has no downtime, and is usually delivered as a course of several sessions. Both can be combined with physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and both involve an out-of-pocket cost. If you have an EPC plan or private health with physiotherapy extra’s, this can cover a considerable part of the cost for your treatment.
Which one is right for you?
There is no single answer that applies to everyone. Both treatments are used for chronic tendon pain, and the right choice depends on your specific condition, its severity and your treatment goals. In some cases the two approaches can complement a broader rehabilitation plan rather than being strictly either-or.
The decision is made with your treating doctor or physiotherapist. A consultation with one of our Specialist Doctors or Sports and Exercise Physicians or Physiotherapists can determine which option, or combination, suits your situation. If your pain is a long-standing tendinopathy, our guide to PRP for chronic tendinopathy covers that condition in more depth, and the role of accurate placement is explained in our ultrasound guidance article.
Book an assessment
To discuss whether PRP or shockwave therapy is the better fit for your tendon pain, contact Ringwood Sports Medicine for an assessment, or book an appointment online.
