OSMS Interventional Sports Medicine Physician, Dr. Michael Harper, joins Dr. Larry Loewen, Chiropractor, and host of the Dr. Larry Radio Show to talk about Interventional Sports Medicine, Image-Guided Injections, and Regenerative Medicine.

Although there is sports medicine in the title, interventional sports medicine physicians treat more than just athletes. They treat a wide variety of injuries and conditions for all ages, focusing on musculoskeletal injuries of the tendons, ligaments, and joints. The goal of an interventional sports medicine physician is to improve a patient’s function and quality of life through conservative treatment options such as physical therapy, medication, bracing, image-guided injections, or regenerative medicine.

The physicians at OSMS collaborate closely together to determine the best treatment option for their patients. This means that if a patient sees an orthopedic surgeon and does not need surgery, or can avoid surgery for the time being, they may be referred to the interventional sports medicine physician, Dr. Harper to be treated non-operatively.

When patients see Dr. Harper for an injury, the process involves:

1. An initial consultation
2. Diagnosis
3. Treatment plan
4. Follow-up
5. Re-evaluation

A re-evaluation is only needed if the first form of treatment does not improve a patient’s condition. If a patient has tried multiple conservative treatment options, which do not improve their condition, they may be referred to see an orthopedic surgeon to discuss surgical options for treatment.

Image-guided injections are one of the most common non-surgical treatment options that Dr. Harper provides for his patients. Image-guided injections are injections that are administered to a patient using ultrasound or fluoroscopic (x-ray) guidance. Ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance allows Dr. Harper to see the musculoskeletal system to help identify where the target structure is to do the injection safely and effectively. Targets for injections include joints, tendons, and even nerves. It is imperative that injections are placed within the right structure of the body, because if they are not, they may not have the desired effect and it could potentially cause negative consequences such as injury to a nearby structure of increase the risk for further degeneration.

Ultrasound-guided injections are mostly performed on extremities like the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hip, whereas x-ray or fluoroscopic guided injections are typically performed on the back/spine. X-ray images penetrate a deeper picture of the body’s structures than ultrasounds can, which is why they are used to perform different types of injections.

Regenerative Medicine, otherwise known as Orthobiologics, is when a physician uses someone’s own cells and growth factors to help stimulate a healing response or optimize the environment that a certain tissue is in. The most commonly used Orthobiologic is platelet rich plasma (PRP). Platelet rich plasma can be injected at the site of an injured tendon or joint to promote self-healing and improved symptoms. Platelet rich plasma is made by taking someone’s blood and spinning it down to separate and concentrate the different cell types.

When platelet rich plasma is injected into a tendon, it promotes blood flow and inflammation with the goal to allow healing to occur. However, when platelet rich plasma is injected into a joint, it does the opposite; it acts as an anti-inflammatory, reducing inflammation, typically from arthritis.

Platelet rich plasma injections have shown in some studies to last longer and do not have the negative side effects other may injections have.

To watch Part 2 of Dr. Harper’s interview with Dr. Larry, click here: https://youtu.be/WTfIypbITCM