Orthobiologic Interventions for Muscle Injuries

Abstract

Muscle injuries represent a common problem in active populations. Orthobiologics continue to be studied for their ability to improve muscle healing. To date, the basic science research for treating muscle injuries with platelet-rich plasma or stem cell remains novel. Furthermore, there are even fewer clinical studies on these topics, and their findings are inconclusive. Reviewing the literature, muscle injuries treated with ultrasound-guided leukocyte-rich PRP injections appear to have the strongest evidence. Scar formation remains a major barrier in muscle injury healing, and there is optimism for future orthobiologic treatments that target the downregulation of TGF-B, resulting in decreased scar development.

Keywords: Muscle injury; Orthobiologic; Platelet-rich plasma; Prolotherapy; Stem cell.