The Chicago White Sox’s star pitcher Chris Sales suffered a flexor strain in his pitching elbow and has been placed on the disabled list. If you saw the picture of him pitching you would cringe at the sight and say to yourself, “that doesn’t look right.” However, Mr. Sales always seemed to have awkward mechanics, which was noted when he was drafted by the White Sox. Luckily, the damage is not major in fact according to an MRI performed on Monday night along with a variety of media reports indicate that there is no structural damage to the pitchers pitching elbow.
Elbow flexor strains occur primarily due repetitive stress associated with the throwing motion. The onset of pain occurs around the side of the elbow facing the body (medial elbow) during the throwing motion. There may also be tenderness localized around the medial elbow, which you may feel when you touch it. The elbow is a fairly stable looking joint, however it may still be susceptible to injuries.
Chris Sales will undergo a platelet rich plasma injection to heal the flexor strain in his pitching elbow. This is a common treatment for many athletic injuries to soft tissue, consisting of tendons and ligaments. It is a form of autologous therapy meaning that the treatment is derived from your own body, primarily your blood. The patient’s blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to separate its components and to create a high concentration of platelets that contain a variety of growth factors to accelerate the healing process. This treatment is then administered under ultrasound guidance to insure accurate placement.
Dr. Bieber of Cross Bay PMR has treated a variety of elbow injury, ucl tear, and sports related elbow injuries using prp treatment. PRP treatment for a UCL tear, PRP treatment for an elbow injury, PRP treatment for arthritis in the elbow and all are viable options for elbow pain.
If you or someone you know has suffered from a similar injury and would like to know more about this innovative treatment plan, I encourage you to come in for a consultation at my office. Call 718-835-0100 for an appointment today!