You've stopped jogging with your group, you keep bowing out of pickleball, and you've cancelled plans to go shopping or sightseeing with friends several times. You're not growing apart—you're experiencing persistent foot or ankle pain that's getting between you and your active Southwest Florida lifestyle. You keep trying new treatments, but so far, none have provided relief. Sound familiar?
Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Care offers advanced platelet-rich plasma therapy for podiatric pain. This revolutionary advancement uses your own growth factors to stimulate the healing process and accelerate recovery. Here’s what you should know about PRP therapy and how our Fort Myers podiatrists, Dr. Melissa Winter and Dr. Michael Mancano, use it to help patients recover and return to their favorite activities.
What Is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy?
Your blood contains powerful healing components that work together to repair damaged tissue. Platelet-rich plasma therapy concentrates these natural healing factors to create a treatment that accelerates recovery from foot and ankle injuries.
The process starts by drawing blood from your arm. A specialized centrifuge then separates your blood into distinct layers, isolating the plasma that contains a high concentration of platelets—typically 5 to 10 times more than normal blood levels. These platelets release growth factors that stimulate cell reproduction, tissue regeneration, and healing when injected into damaged areas of your foot or ankle.
PRP therapy works with your body’s existing repair mechanisms rather than masking symptoms with medication. The concentrated platelets trigger an enhanced healing response at the injection site, promoting new tissue growth and reducing inflammation. This biological approach makes PRP an attractive option for patients who want to avoid surgery or haven’t found relief through conventional treatments.
What Conditions Respond to PRP Therapy?
Southwest Florida’s active lifestyle can take a toll on your feet and ankles. Platelet-rich plasma therapy addresses several persistent conditions that commonly affect tennis players, golfers, runners, and weekend warriors throughout the Fort Myers area, including:
- Plantar fasciitis. This stubborn condition causes heel pain that often worsens with the first steps in the morning. When rest, stretching, and orthotics fail to provide lasting relief, PRP injections help reduce chronic inflammation in the plantar fascia and promote healing of the damaged tissue.
- Achilles tendon problems. The thick tendon connecting your calf muscles to your heel bone can develop chronic pain and degeneration, especially in active adults. PRP therapy stimulates collagen production and helps repair the tiny tears that accumulate in the tendon over time.
- Posterior tibial tendinitis. This condition affects the tendon that supports your arch and leads to progressive flatfoot deformity if left untreated. PRP injections strengthen the damaged tendon and reduce pain along the inside of your ankle.
- Neuromas. These painful nerve enlargements between your toes respond well to PRP therapy, which reduces chronic inflammation around the affected nerve and provides lasting relief from burning, tingling, or numbness.
- Sports injuries. Athletic injuries, such as ankle sprains and ligament tears, also benefit from platelet-rich plasma treatment. The concentrated growth factors accelerate healing and help restore stability to injured joints, allowing athletes to return to competition more quickly than with traditional rehabilitation alone.
What Are the Benefits of Choosing PRP Therapy?
Platelet-rich plasma therapy offers a wide range of advantages beyond just pain relief:
- Gentle on the body. This approach is less invasive, making it a suitable choice for our patients seeking effective treatment with less disruption to their daily life.
- Natural. Many people appreciate that PRP therapy uses their own blood to promote healing, eliminating concerns about allergic reactions or rejection that can occur with synthetic treatments or donor tissues.
- Quick, convenient treatment sessions. The procedure typically takes less than an hour from start to finish—you can drive yourself home afterward and usually return to light activities within a few days.
- Minimal treatments. Most PRP therapy patients need only one to three sessions spaced several weeks apart, though your specific treatment plan depends on the severity and location of your injury.
- Swift recovery. Recovery from PRP therapy requires less downtime than surgery. Most of our patients resume normal activities within two weeks.
- Lasting results. Rather than temporarily masking pain, platelet-rich plasma therapy addresses the underlying tissue damage that causes your symptoms.
Key Points to Review With Your Fort Myers Podiatrist
Several factors influence whether platelet-rich plasma therapy is right for your foot or ankle condition. During your consultation at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Care, be sure to discuss the following:
- Your overall health
- Severity of your injury
- When symptoms first appeared
- If and how your symptoms have changed over time
- Current medications
- Underlying health conditions like diabetes or autoimmune conditions
- Lifestyle and activity level
- Treatment goals and expectations
What Can You Expect During Your PRP Treatment?
Your first appointment includes a thorough evaluation of your foot or ankle condition. Dr. Winter or Dr. Mancano examine the affected area, review your medical history, and get a better understanding of your activity goals to determine if PRP therapy is appropriate for your situation. Diagnostic imaging might also be necessary to assess the extent of tissue damage and plan the injection precisely.
On the day of your treatment, a medical assistant draws a small amount of blood from your arm—similar to routine lab work. Then, the blood is processed in a centrifuge for appropriately 15 minutes while you relax in the treatment room. Once the platelet-rich plasma is ready, we clean the injection site and if necessary, numb it with a local anesthetic to ensure your comfort.
We inject the concentrated plasma directly into the damaged tissue using ultrasound guidance for accuracy. This allows precise placement of the PRP into areas that need healing most. The entire injection process takes just a few minutes, and most patients report minimal discomfort during the procedure.
After treatment, you can expect some soreness and swelling at the injection site for the first few days. Elevating your foot helps manage these temporary symptoms. You should avoid anti-inflammatory medications and ice for several weeks after treatment, as they may interfere with the healing process that PRP initiates.
Can You Combine PRP With Other Treatments?
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is most effective when used as part of a proactive treatment plan. So, we might also recommend:
- Custom orthotics to support proper foot alignment and reduce stress on healing tissues.
- Physical therapy exercises strengthen the muscles that support your feet and ankles while improving flexibility and range of motion.
- Shockwave therapy, as the acoustic waves stimulate blood flow and break up scar tissue, creating an optimal environment for the growth factors in platelet-rich plasma to work effectively. This combination approach often produces better results for some patients than either treatment alone.
Additionally, lifestyle modifications support the healing process after PRP injections. For example, maintaining a healthy weight reduces stress on your feet and ankles. Wearing supportive footwear protects recovering tissues from excessive strain. Gradually increasing activity levels as you heal prevents re-injury and helps you build strength safely. You can trust our dedicated team to provide you with complete guidance to maximize the benefits of your treatment protocol and help you return to your active way of life in no time.
Schedule Your Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy Consultation
Fort Myers patients dealing with chronic foot or ankle pain deserve access to advanced treatment options. At Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Care, Dr. Winter and Dr. Mancano evaluate each patient individually to determine if platelet-rich plasma therapy can help you achieve your goals. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward pain-free feet. Call 239-275-1114 to schedule your consultation. Our podiatry office is proud to serve patients throughout Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Cape Coral, and surrounding communities.