— Regenerative & non-surgical orthopedics
Heal with what
your body
already makes.
Platelet-rich plasma, cortisone, and viscosupplementation — precise injections used as an alternative to surgery, a bridge before it, or recovery support after injury.
- What is PRP
- Conditions
- Options
- Research
- Cost & insurance
- FAQ
1 visit
In office
Blood draw, processing, and injection — all in one appointment.
1 or 3
Injection course
Single PRP injection, or a series of three spaced 2–4 weeks apart.
No surgery
No hospital
Outpatient, no anesthesia, walk in and walk out the same day.
Cash-pay
PRP pricing
PRP is not covered by insurance. Cortisone and viscosupplementation typically are.
What PRP is.
Platelet-rich plasma is a concentrated dose of your own platelets and growth factors, drawn from your blood and delivered directly to the joint, tendon, or area of injury. It uses your body’s existing healing machinery — there’s nothing artificial about it.
Your platelets carry the proteins your body uses to heal: PDGF, TGF-β, VEGF, and a long list of others. Normally these are released in tiny amounts wherever you’re injured. PRP concentrates them many times above baseline and delivers them directly into the tissue that needs them.
The injection itself takes only minutes. The real work is what happens over the following weeks — your body responds to the concentrated signal by recruiting cells involved in the healing response and modulating inflammation in the treated area.
PRP isn’t a magic bullet, and it isn’t right for every condition or every patient. It works best in the right anatomic setting — which is the conversation we have at your evaluation.
— How an injection works
01
Blood draw
A small sample of your blood is drawn from your arm — about the same volume
as a routine lab.
02
Centrifuge separation
Sample is spun in a centrifuge to separate platelets and growth factors from red cells and plasma.
03
Concentrated PRP
The platelet-rich layer is collected — typically 3–7× the platelet concentration
of normal blood.
04
Targeted injection
The PRP is injected directly into the target joint or tendon with precision.
Conditions treated.
PRP and orthobiologic injections are used most often for degenerative joint disease and chronic tendon problems that haven’t responded to first-line care. Below are the conditions we treat regularly — if yours isn’t listed, it’s worth a conversation.
01
Knee osteoarthritis
— KNEE
Mild to moderate cartilage wear. PRP is best supported here by the research, particularly for patients who want to delay or avoid replacement.
02
Hip osteoarthritis
— HIP
Injection into the hip joint for early-to-moderate arthritis pain and stiffness.
03
Tendinopathy
— ELBOW · KNEE · ACHILLES
Chronic tendon pain — tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, patellar tendinitis, Achilles tendinopathy — that hasn’t responded to therapy or rest.
04
Rotator cuff
— SHOULDER
Partial-thickness rotator cuff tears and rotator cuff tendinopathy. Most useful as an alternative to surgery for partial tears or recovery support.
05
Plantar fasciitis
— FOOT
Chronic heel pain that has persisted despite stretching, orthotics, and other conservative care.
06
Hip bursitis
— HIP
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome and gluteal tendinopathy — chronic pain on the outside of the hip.
Three injection options.
The right injection depends on the diagnosis, your goals, and your timeline.
Below is what each one is, what it does, and where it fits — we’ll talk through the choice together at your visit.
01
PRP platelet-rich plasma
Your own concentrated platelets and growth factors. Goal is to modulate inflammation and deliver growth factors involved in the body’s natural healing response \u2014 not just block pain. Effects build over weeks. Duration of benefit varies by patient and condition.
USE FOR
Mild–moderate OA, tendinopathy, partial tears
Course
Single injection or series of 3
PAYMENT
Cash-pay
02
Cortisone corticosteroid
A potent anti-inflammatory delivered directly into the joint or soft tissue. Fast-acting symptom relief — often within days — but does not heal underlying tissue. Best for acute flares or short-term function.
USE FOR
Acute pain flares, acute bursitis, tendinitis
EFFECT
Days to several months
PAYMENT
Insurance typically covers
03
Viscosupplementation hyaluronic acid
A gel-like injection of hyaluronic acid that supplements joint fluid, improves lubrication, and reduces friction in arthritic joints. Most established use is in the knee, with effects building over a few weeks.
USE FOR
Knee osteoarthritis (most established)
COURSE
Single or 3–5 weekly injections
PAYMENT
Insurance typically covers
How they compare.
A quick side-by-side. None of these are mutually exclusive — and the right answer for you may shift over time as your condition changes.
| PRP | Cortisone | Viscosupplementation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Delivers growth factors; modulates inflammation | Anti-inflammatory; symptom relief | Improves joint lubrication |
| Onset | 2–6 weeks (builds gradually) | Days | 2–4 weeks |
| Repeat frequency | No fixed interval | Every ~3 months max | Every ~6 months |
| Best fit | Mild–moderate OA, tendinopathy, trochanteric bursitis | Acute pain flares, acute bursitis | Knee OA |
| Insurance | Cash-pay | Typically covered | Typically covered |
When PRP
makes sense.
PRP plays one of three roles in modern orthopedic care. Some patients move through more than one over time.
01
Alternative< to surgery.
Most joint replacement is performed using a standardized plan adjusted intra-operatively. Mako inverts that — the plan is built from your CT scan from the start.
02
Bridge before surgery.
Injection into the hip joint for early-to-moderate arthritis pain and stiffness.
03
Recovery after injury.
For acute or chronic soft-tissue injuries that have plateaued in physical therapy, PRP may support your recovery and the return to your sport, work, or activity.
What the visit
looks like.
Walk-in to walk-out, a single PRP visit covers the full sequence. Here’s how it goes.
— BEFORE
Evaluation visit
A focused exam, review of imaging if available, and a discussion of which injection — PRP, cortisone, or viscosupplementation — best fits your diagnosis and goals. Not every patient is a PRP candidate, and that’s okay.
STEP 01
Check-in & consent
Brief recap of the procedure, answer any last questions, sign consent.
STEP 02
Blood draw
A standard venous blood draw from your arm — typically 30–60 mL depending on the target site.
STEP 03
Centrifuge processing
Sample is spun to concentrate the platelet-rich layer. You can sit comfortably during this step.
STEP 04
The injection
Skin is cleaned and numbed. The PRP is delivered precisely into the target joint or tendon. Most patients describe pressure more than pain.
STEP 05
Aftercare instructions
A short observation period, written aftercare guidance, and you’re on your way. Most patients drive themselves home.
— AFTER
Recovery & follow-up
Mild soreness for 24–72 hours is expected. Avoid NSAIDs for 3 days after the injection (they blunt the inflammatory response PRP relies on). Activity resumes gradually. Follow-up at 6 weeks to assess response.
What the research
says.
PRP has been studied extensively over the past two decades. The evidence is strongest in knee osteoarthritis and lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), with growing support in other areas. Below are representative high-quality findings.
The research landscape is honest and useful: PRP is not a cure-all, but for several specific conditions it produces meaningful, durable symptom improvement compared to placebo or to other commonly used injections.
Below are summary findings from systematic reviews and well-designed clinical trials. As with any treatment, individual results vary — but the population-level signal is real.
— KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
PRP outperforms hyaluronic acid for symptom control
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses consistently show PRP produces greater pain and function improvement than viscosupplementation in mild-to-moderate knee OA, with benefit sustained through 6–12 months.
REPRESENTATIVE: Belk et al., Am J Sports Med, 2021. Multiple meta-analyses since.
— TENNIS ELBOW
PRP superior to cortisone for chronic lateral epicondylitis
In chronic tennis elbow, PRP shows better long-term outcomes than corticosteroid injection — cortisone wins early, PRP wins by 6–12 months and beyond.
REPRESENTATIVE: Mishra et al., Am J Sports Med, 2014; multiple replication trials.
u2014 TROCHANTERIC BURSITIS
PRP superior to cortisone for chronic gluteal tendinopathy
In chronic gluteal tendinopathy (the underlying pathology in most cases of trochanteric bursitis), PRP outperformed cortisone at 12 weeks and the advantage persisted at 2 years \u2014 while the cortisone group regressed back toward baseline.
REPRESENTATIVE: Fitzpatrick et al., Am J Sports Med, 2018 (RCT); 2-year follow-up, 2019.
— ROTATOR CUFF
Adjunct to repair & partial-tear management
Evidence supports PRP as a useful adjunct in selected rotator cuff cases, particularly partial-thickness tears and tendinopathy. Results are best in well-selected patients.
REPRESENTATIVE: Hurley et al., Am J Sports Med, 2019 (systematic review).
— PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Durable improvement vs. corticosteroid
Multiple trials show PRP produces longer-lasting pain relief than cortisone for chronic plantar fasciitis, with significant improvement maintained at 6–12 months.
REPRESENTATIVE: Hsiao et al., Foot Ankle Int, 2020 (meta-analysis).
A note on evidence: Research on PRP varies in preparation method, dose, injection technique, and patient selection — which is one reason individual results differ. The studies cited here are representative of the strongest signals; the full literature is large, evolving, and not uniform. We discuss the evidence specific to your condition at your evaluation.
Cost & coverage.
PRP is a cash-pay treatment. Cortisone and viscosupplementation are typically covered by commercial insurance and Medicare for appropriate diagnoses.
— Coverage at a glance
Coverage varies by plan. The office will run a benefits check before any covered injection. PRP is not currently covered by any commercial insurance or Medicare in the United States — call to verify your specific benefits.
PRP injection — single
Cash-pay
PRP injection — series of 3
Cash-pay
Cortisone injection
Insurance
Viscosupplementation (HA)
Insurance
— Pricing
Transparent, written pricing.
PRP pricing depends on whether you’re choosing a single injection or a series of three. The price includes the office visit — there’s no separate charge for the appointment itself. Pricing is given to you in writing before scheduling — no surprises.
— Insurance accepted
We accept most major commercial plans and Medicare for covered services — cortisone, viscosupplementation, evaluation visits, and surgical consultations.
- Aetna
- Humana
- Medicare
- Anthem Blue Cross
- UnitedHealthcare
- IEHP
- Blue Shield of CA
- Health Net
- Workers' Comp
- Cigna
- Tricare
- Most PPO plans
Don’t see your plan? Call the office at (951) 296-6676 — we’ll verify your benefits before any covered procedure. PRP itself is cash-pay regardless of insurance.
— What patients say
From PRP patients
like you.
— What patients say
From PRP patients
like you.
— Fellowship-trained · UCLA · Allegheny General
Dr. Omar Kadri.
Fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in muscle-sparing hip replacement, robotic-assisted joint reconstruction, and regenerative orthopedics. Trained at UCLA School of Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, and Allegheny General Hospital. Practicing in Riverside and Corona.
Frequently asked
questions.
The questions patients ask most often when considering PRP. If yours isn’t here, write it down and bring it with you — every visit ends with time set aside for your questions.
Does it hurt?
The blood draw feels like any routine lab. The injection itself is performed after the skin is numbed — most patients describe pressure more than sharp pain. A 24–72 hour period of mild soreness afterward is normal and is part of how PRP works.
How quickly will I feel better?
No. The Mako robotic arm doesn’t operate autonomously. Every motion is controlled by the surgeon. The system enforces the surgical plan — it prevents the kind of small alignment errors that can compound over years — but the operation itself is still surgeon-led from start to finish.
Single injection or series of 3 — how do you decide?
No. The Mako robotic arm doesn’t operate autonomously. Every motion is controlled by the surgeon. The system enforces the surgical plan — it prevents the kind of small alignment errors that can compound over years — but the operation itself is still surgeon-led from start to finish.
Why isn't PRP covered by insurance?
No. The Mako robotic arm doesn’t operate autonomously. Every motion is controlled by the surgeon. The system enforces the surgical plan — it prevents the kind of small alignment errors that can compound over years — but the operation itself is still surgeon-led from start to finish.
Are there medication restrictions around PRP?
No. The Mako robotic arm doesn’t operate autonomously. Every motion is controlled by the surgeon. The system enforces the surgical plan — it prevents the kind of small alignment errors that can compound over years — but the operation itself is still surgeon-led from start to finish.
Can I drive home? Go to work the next day?
No. The Mako robotic arm doesn’t operate autonomously. Every motion is controlled by the surgeon. The system enforces the surgical plan — it prevents the kind of small alignment errors that can compound over years — but the operation itself is still surgeon-led from start to finish.
Who isn't a candidate?
No. The Mako robotic arm doesn’t operate autonomously. Every motion is controlled by the surgeon. The system enforces the surgical plan — it prevents the kind of small alignment errors that can compound over years — but the operation itself is still surgeon-led from start to finish.
See if PRP
is right for you.
Start with an evaluation visit — exam, X-ray review, and a straight conversation about whether partial or total knee replacement fits your knee.