Regenerative Injection Therapy · New Orleans
ProloBoost™ High-Dose PRP — more platelets, deeper healing
Not all platelet-rich plasma is equal. We use a high-dose, supraphysiologic PRP — concentrated with a double-spin system — because the research is clear that a higher platelet dose drives better, longer-lasting results. And we don’t stop at the injection: every ProloBoost™ treatment pairs high-dose PRP with dextrose prolotherapy and red light therapy, ultrasound-guided, over a minimum of two sessions.
Jacques Courseault, MD, CAQSM, FAAPMR · The Fascia Institute and Treatment Center®
· Tendons · Ligaments · Joints · Muscle
01 · What PRP Is & Who It Helps
Your own platelets, put to work where it hurts
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) concentrates the platelets and natural growth factors from your own blood and delivers them, under ultrasound guidance, into the tissue that’s generating your pain. Those growth factors accelerate the body’s healing response — which is why PRP is used most often for tendon, ligament, and joint pain, as well as muscle strains and tears. It’s a well-established, non-surgical option that’s been performed for decades.
You may be a candidate if you have a tendon, ligament, joint, or muscle injury that hasn’t resolved with rest and therapy. At your consultation we review your history and imaging, examine you, and confirm whether PRP — as part of our orthobiologics and prolotherapy program — is the right fit.
02 · Why We Use High-Dose PRP
The dose is the difference — and the evidence agrees
The biggest problem in PRP research is that “PRP” isn’t one thing: platelet concentration varies enormously between machines, clinics, and even patients. When you control for that variable, a consistent pattern emerges — more platelets means better outcomes.
Standard PRP
~2–3 billion platelets
Lower-concentration preparations were far more likely to show no significant benefit in pooled analyses.
High-Dose PRP (what we use)
≥10 billion platelets
A defined high dose was linked to clinically meaningful pain, function, and cartilage-protective benefits sustained out to a year.
In a randomized controlled trial, a formulation containing 10 billion platelets produced sustained improvement in pain and function at one year, and the authors concluded that this absolute dose is critical for a durable effect (Bansal et al., Scientific Reports, 2021). A 2024 meta-analysis of randomized trials found the improvement from PRP in knee osteoarthritis is real and directly influenced by platelet concentration (Bensa et al., Am J Sports Med). Two further systematic reviews converge on the same threshold — greater platelet dose, better and more durable results, with roughly 10 billion platelets emerging as the target (Arthroscopy, 2024; Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 2024).
What this means for you
A “cheaper,” lower-concentration PRP may simply not contain enough platelets to work. Our double-spin process is built to reach the supraphysiologic dose the evidence supports — so your treatment has the best chance of actually changing the tissue.
03 · The Complete ProloBoost™ Protocol
Three therapies, one coordinated treatment
We don’t treat PRP as a stand-alone shot. Each ProloBoost™ session layers three regenerative therapies — all ultrasound-guided — to support the full healing cascade, and we plan for a minimum of two sessions (with a follow-up visit) because durable tissue repair takes more than one pass.
Core
High-Dose PRP
A double-spin concentration process delivers a supraphysiologic platelet dose — the “boost” — precisely into the injured tendon, ligament, joint, or muscle.
Support
Dextrose Prolotherapy
We surround the region with dextrose prolotherapy to treat the whole system — the fascia, attachments, and stabilizers around the primary injury, not just its center.
Recovery
Red Light Therapy
Photobiomodulation feeds the mitochondria and calms excess inflammation, supporting fibroblast activity and collagen repair after the injections.
Why combine them
High-dose PRP supplies the growth-factor signal, prolotherapy broadens the repair to the whole injured region, and red light optimizes the cellular environment those signals act in. Red light is best understood as a powerful adjunct that supports healing (LED photobiomodulation in tendon healing, 2025) — together, the three do more than any one alone. Many patients also layer PEMF in the weeks after to extend the regenerative window.
04 · What To Expect
A thorough visit, then a real healing response
Because we draw and concentrate your blood and then inject under ultrasound, plan for about 45 minutes to an hour per treatment; your first visit runs longer so we can review your history, imaging, and labs. There’s no formal recovery period — but eat a full meal and hydrate beforehand, and bring a driver if you tend to feel lightheaded or are treating the lower body.
PRP works by inflammation, so expect achy soreness, and sometimes mild bruising or swelling, for the first several days — occasionally a week or more. A brief flare can actually mean the healing cascade has kicked in. Over the first few weeks you may feel the same, better, or briefly worse as tissue remodels; any gain in strength, sleep, or pain is a sign it’s working. Most people are guided into physical therapy to retrain the tissue as it heals, and we’ll give you specific post-injection instructions — if soreness becomes severe, contact us.
05 · Safety
It’s your own blood — and it’s not a cortisone shot
Because PRP is made from your own blood, it’s remarkably safe, and other than expected soreness there are no documented systemic complications. As with any injection, small risks like bruising, bleeding, or infection exist; we use clean technique and ultrasound guidance to place every needle precisely and keep those risks rare. We’ll review anything specific to your case at your visit.
PRP is not the same as a cortisone injection. Cortisone calms inflammation and has a role in acute flares, but it can work against long-term tissue healing — so we use it sparingly, sometimes before a PRP course, and rarely more than twice. Insurers still label PRP “experimental,” but that reflects the difficulty of standardizing platelet dose and funding regenerative research — not the decades of safe, beneficial use behind it.
06 · Cost & Coverage
Straightforward pricing, and ways to make it work
Most patients need a minimum of two sessions; some require more. Please contact our office for current ProloBoost™ pricing, which covers the full visit: exam, ultrasound evaluation, the ultrasound-guided injections, and the prolotherapy and red light performed that day.
Most insurers don’t yet cover PRP, but you can submit your receipt for possible reimbursement or toward your deductible, and pay tax-free with an HSA or FSA.
Make it more affordable
There are smart ways to lower your out-of-pocket cost. Read our guide to paying for regenerative injections and saving money →
Related Regenerative Care
How ProloBoost™ fits the bigger picture
Foundational
Prolotherapy & Fascial Prolotherapy
Dextrose prolotherapy to rebuild ligaments, tendons, muscle, and fascia — the base layer that surrounds every ProloBoost™ treatment.
Signature
Hydrofascia Release™
Ultrasound-guided fascial hydrodissection to free the restricted, adhered fascia often found alongside a tendon or joint injury.
Recovery Add-On
PEMF Therapy
Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in the days and weeks after ProloBoost™ to extend the regenerative window and ease soreness.
References & Further Reading
1. Bansal H, et al. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in osteoarthritis (OA) knee: Correct dose critical for long term clinical efficacy. Sci Rep. 2021. — Scientific Reports
2. Bensa A, et al. PRP Injections for Knee OA: The Improvement Is Clinically Significant and Influenced by Platelet Concentration — Meta-analysis of RCTs. Am J Sports Med. 2024. — AJSM
3. A Greater Platelet Dose May Yield Better Clinical Outcomes for PRP in Knee OA: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2024. — PubMed
4. The Effect of Platelet Dose on Outcomes after PRP Injections for Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2024. — PMC
5. Efficacy of LED-Mediated Photobiomodulation in Tendon Healing (murine model). Int J Mol Sci. 2025. — MDPI
6. Rabago D, et al. Dextrose Prolotherapy for Knee OA: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Fam Med. 2013. — Annals of Family Medicine
This page is for general education and is not medical advice, nor does it create a physician–patient relationship. PRP outcomes vary by individual and no result is guaranteed; PRP is considered elective and is not FDA-cleared as a treatment for specific conditions. Discuss your situation with a qualified physician. The Fascia Institute and Treatment Center® · 2520 Harvard Ave, Ste 2B, Metairie, LA 70001 · (504) 704-1254.
