title: Does platelet-rich plasma decrease time to return to sports in acute muscle tear? A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to report the effects of autologous PRP injections on time to return to play and recurrence rate after acute grade 2 muscle injuries in recreational and competitive athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients diagnosed with acute muscle injuries were randomly allocated to autologous PRP therapy combined with a rehabilitation programme or a rehabilitation programme only. The primary outcome of this study was time to return to play. In addition, changes in pain severity and recurrence rates were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the PRP group achieved full recovery significantly earlier than controls (P = 0.001). The mean time to return to play was 21.1 ± 3.1 days and 25 ± 2.8 days for the PRP and control groups, respectively (P = 0.001). Significantly lower pain severity scores were observed in the PRP group throughout the study. The difference in the recurrence rate after 2-year-follow-up was not statistically significant between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A single PRP injection combined with a rehabilitation programme significantly shortened time to return to sports compared to a rehabilitation programme only. Recurrence rate was not significantly different between groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  I.
authors.affiliation: Italian Hospital from Buenos Aires, Peron 4190, C1199ABB, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Luciano Andrés
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Italian Hospital from Buenos Aires, Peron 4190, C1199ABB, Buenos Aires, Argentina. agustinmolinaromoli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Agustín Rubén
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Molina Rómoli
authors.affiliation: Italian Hospital from Buenos Aires, Peron 4190, C1199ABB, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Bernardo Agustín
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bertona Altieri
authors.affiliation: Italian Hospital from Buenos Aires, Peron 4190, C1199ABB, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Jose Aurelio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Burgos Flor
authors.affiliation: Italian Hospital from Buenos Aires, Peron 4190, C1199ABB, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Walter Edgardo
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Scordo
authors.affiliation: Italian Hospital from Buenos Aires, Peron 4190, C1199ABB, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Cristina María
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Elizondo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries*; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D012008:Recurrence; D000068958:Return to Sport / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acute muscle injuries; Platelet-rich plasma; Return to sports