Prolotherapy, which stands for "proliferative injection therapy," involves the injection of a solution into a part of the body that has experienced damaged ligaments or tendons. The solution typically includes dextrose, also called sugar water, lidocaine, glycerin and phenol. It can help stimulate the growth of connective tissue cells that help repair bruised or strained ligaments and tendons. Exercise therapy is a key component of recovery with prolotherapy, which is most often used to treat injured shoulders, knees, ankles and lower-back problems.
Slow at First
Rigorous exercise isn't recommended within the first few days after getting prolotherapy treatment, according to Rocky Mountain Natural Medicine. If you received prolotherapy in your knee or ankle, for example, you wouldn't be encouraged to go running right away. However, light exercise is recommended when you feel you're ready. Prolotherapy is an attempt to avoid surgery, so it's only used to treat serious injuries that would demand a light-exercise recovery period anyway.
Special Exercises
The doctor who gives you the prolotherapy injections or a physical therapist may recommend very specific exercises following your treatment, says the Center for Traditional Medicine. Those exercises differ, depending on where your injury occurred. For a lower back strain treated with prolotherapy, for example, you may be encouraged to do certain core exercises that don't involve much movement, such as planks, supine planks and side planks, says prolotherapy.org. Range-of-motion exercises and basic stretches are encouraged at first, rather than rigorous resistance training that could re-injury tissue that is still healing.
Pain Relief
If you exercise frequently or are otherwise very active and you experience chronic pain in your back, knees or other joints, you may have strained tendons or ligaments that can benefit from prolotherapy. A series of prolotherapy injections over several months can increase the strength, health and even the size of tendons and ligaments. This can reduce pain when you exercise, play sports or engage in another activity that requires greater strength and stability in your previously injured area.
Signs Prolotherapy is Working
In the days and weeks after prolotherapy treatment, you'll know whether the injections helped because your exercise capacity will increase and you'll be able to move with less pain and stiffness, the Journal of Prolotherapy says. Because exercise is a vital part of injury rehabilitation, you'll likely be encouraged to return to your regular activities, other than heavy lifting. If you experience sharp pain or a new pain in the treated area, stop immediately and inform your doctor.
