Blood-spinning

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When the tube of blood is removed from the centrifuge, the components have separated into three layers: blood plasma, the buffy coat containing platelet cells, and red blood cells. Blood-centrifugation-scheme.png
When the tube of blood is removed from the centrifuge, the components have separated into three layers: blood plasma, the buffy coat containing platelet cells, and red blood cells.

Blood-spinning is a medical procedure used to shorten the healing time of an injury. Small samples of the patient's blood are taken and spun in a centrifuge, allowing platelets and blood plasma to be isolated from other blood components. The platelets and plasma are then combined forming platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which has high concentrations of natural growth factors. The PRP sample can then be injected into the patient's injury, which may help reduce pain and improve recovery speeds. [1]

A medical procedure is a course of action intended to achieve a result in the delivery of healthcare.

Healing is the process of the restoration of health from an unbalanced, diseased, damaged or unvitalized organism. The result of healing can be to cure to a health challenge, but one can grow without being cured or heal without "a cure".

Injury physiological wound caused by an external source

Injury, also known as physical trauma, is damage to the body caused by external force. This may be caused by accidents, falls, hits, weapons, and other causes. Major trauma is injury that has the potential to cause prolonged disability or death.

Use in professional sports

This procedure has been deemed controversial at times, especially when used by athletes. In 2005, the World Anti-Doping Agency ruled that blood-spinning could be used to introduce banned substances, [2] and in 2010 the agency went as far as banning the use of intramuscular injections of PRP in competitive athletes amid some concerns that it boosted performance-enhancing growth factors. [3] However, that ban was lifted the following year, after it was concluded that there was a "lack of any current evidence concerning the use of these methods for purposes of performance enhancement". [4] There is some debate about the effectiveness of the procedure on improving healing times, with some doctors suggesting the evidence is inconclusive or contentious. [5] [6]

The World Anti-Doping Agency is a foundation initiated by the International Olympic Committee based in Canada to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drugs in sports. The agency's key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code, whose provisions are enforced by the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport. The aims of the Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention and the United States Anti-Doping Agency are also closely aligned with those of WADA.

Intramuscular injection injection of a substance directly into a muscle

Intramuscular injection is the injection of a substance directly into muscle. In medicine, it is one of several alternative methods for the administration of medications. Muscles have larger and more blood vessels than subcutaneous tissue and injections here usually have faster rates of absorption than subcutaneous injections or intradermal injections. Depending on the injection site, an administration is limited to between 2 and 5 milliliters of fluid.

Numerous professional athletes in a variety of sports have used blood-spinning to help recover from injuries, including professional tennis player Rafael Nadal, [7] professional golfer Tiger Woods, and former NFL player Hines Ward. [8] The practice is allowed by FIFA and has been used in the UK at Tottenham Hotspur, and at Chelsea during José Mourinho's managerial stint at the club. [9]

Rafael Nadal Spanish tennis player

Rafael Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player, currently ranked world No. 2 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

Professional golfer golfer with professional status; ordinarily cannot not play in amateur tournaments

In the sport of golf, the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose their amateur status. A golfer who has lost their amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated; a professional may not play in amateur tournaments unless the Committee is notified, acknowledges and confirms the participation. It is very difficult for a professional to regain their amateur status; simply agreeing not to take payment for a particular tournament is not enough. A player must apply to the governing body of the sport to have amateur status reinstated.

Tiger Woods American golfer

Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer who is generally considered one of the greatest golfers of all time.

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References

  1. "What Is Blood Spinning?". Hospital for Special Surgery. 19 January 2010.
  2. "Rapid healing trick falls foul of anti-doping rules". New Scientist. 14 May 2005.
  3. Wasterlain AS, Braun HJ, Harris AH, Kim HJ, Dragoo JL (2013). "The systemic effects of platelet-rich plasma injection". Am J Sports Med. 41 (1): 186–93. doi:10.1177/0363546512466383. PMID   23211708.
  4. "World Anti-Doping Agency announces changes to Prohibited List". Irish Medical Times . 10 January 2011.
  5. "Blood spinning promising; studies inconclusive". San Francisco Chronicle. 13 April 2010.
  6. "Blood spinning – legal but controversial". The Independent. 29 January 2013.
  7. "Rafael Nadal learns to control pain in fighting back to No 1 again". The Independent. 8 October 2013.
  8. "Spinning Blood Isn't Just for Athletes". The Wall Street Journal. 30 March 2010.
  9. "Tottenham in market for striker while Jermain Defoe nurses muscle tear". The Guardian. 29 January 2013.