Wrist Tendon Ultrasound Guided PRP Injection
Guideline
Please note that the following guidelines are just that; guidelines. The instructions may
differ from provider to provider and patient to patient. All patients are different and
circumstances are different.
Things to Avoid Before and After Your Procedure
● Anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen (Advil™, Motrin™) and naproxen
(Aleve™, Naprosyn™): Avoid 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your procedure.
● Acetaminophen (Tylenol™) is okay to take before and after your procedure
● Alcohol: Avoid 48 hours before your procedure. Do not consume alcohol while
you are taking prescription pain medication.
● Tobacco & nicotine: Consider talking to your physician about stopping. These
products impair your ability to heal and might reduce the beneficial effects of the
procedure.
● Diet: There is no need to fast before the procedure. You may eat normal meals
before your procedure and resume your regular diet when you feel able.
Make sure you have the following before or at your
procedure:
• Wrist brace
• Physical therapy appointment times or home exercises
• Follow-up appointments (1, 6, 12 weeks post PRP procedure)
Post-Injection Information
Wrist brace
● It is typically recommended to wear the brace for the first 2-3 days
after the procedure.
● Please sleep with the wrist brace.
● It is ok to drive with a wrist brace.
Discomfort
● Some pain after the procedure is expected for the first 2 weeks.
Anticipate pain about 6-8 hours after the procedure once the
anesthetic medicine wears off. Please take Acetaminophen
(Tylenol™) about 6 hours after the procedure.
● Use ice on the painful area for 15 minutes as needed. Consider 3
times a day for the first few days.
● Contact your care team if you have any concerns about your pain.
Bathing
● Do not soak/submerge the treatment area in water for 1 week.
● Showers are OK.
When to call
Provider
● If you notice increasing redness, warmth, pain, fever, drainage
from the wound or other problems that concern you, please call
our office during normal clinic hours. Otherwise seek care at your
local emergency room.
Post-PRP Rehabilitation Timeline
Day 1 (day of your procedure)
● Plan to have a family member or friend drive you home after your procedure.
● Bring a wrist brace to the appointment if you received one before.
● Activity & Rehab: Protect the wrist by resting and keeping it elevated to reduce
swelling.
Days 2 - 3
● Keep your wrist in the wrist brace. It should be snug but not tight.
● Activity & Rehab: Take your wrist out of the brace 3 times a day to perform gentle
range of motion exercises.
● Perform wrist and elbow range of motion exercises (No pronation/supination).
Stretch the thenar musculature.
Days 4 - 7
● Keep your wrist in the wrist brace. It should be snug but not tight.
● Activity restrictions: You may lift up to 2 lbs. Begin use of elbow and hand for
activities of daily living (like using it to groom, dress, eat and drive short distances).
Avoid sustained gripping like opening a jar.
● Rehab: Continue elbow and wrist range of motion exercises and perform 3-5
times/day (No pronation/supination).
Week 2 (Days 8 - 14)
● Begin to wean out of the wrist brace.
● Activity restrictions: You may lift up to 5 lbs. Avoid sustained gripping like opening a
jar.
● Rehab
o Continue elbow and wrist range of motion exercises; focusing primarily on the
wrist extensor.
o Start eccentric unweighted hammer curls.
● You should have an appointment scheduled during this week. If not, please
schedule it.
Week 3 - 4 (Start PT and home strengthening exercises)
● Activity restrictions: You may lift up to 10 lbs. Avoid sustained gripping like opening a
jar.
● Rehab
o Continue elbow and wrist range of motion exercises. Add forearm pronation
and supination.
o Continue isometric wrist and elbow strengthening 1-2 times a day with
resistance bands.
o Start isotonic shoulder strengthening activities.
Week 5 - 6
● Activity restrictions: As tolerated
● Rehab
o Increase intensity of strengthening exercises.
o Start concentric/eccentric wrist and elbow extension exercises.
o Incorporate general upper extremity strengthening exercises.
● You should have an appointment scheduled during this week. If not please schedule
it.
Week 6-12
● Activity & Rehab
o Continue to increase intensity of strengthening exercises.
o Progress general upper extremity strengthening exercises.
o Begin sport- or activity-specific activity under the guidance of the care team.
● You should have an appointment scheduled during week 10 - 12. If not please
schedule it.
Criteria to Progress to Unrestricted Activity
1. Pain free during rehabilitation exercises throughout week 8-12
2. 5/5 strength with elbow and wrist strength test
3. Physician approval