Concierge sports medicine · UK
PRP injections - your own biology, honestly sold.
Platelet-rich plasma for knee osteoarthritis, tennis elbow and stubborn tendinopathy - injected under ultrasound by consultant clinicians, with the evidence for your condition explained straight before you spend anything.
Why patients choose us
- 01
Injected by consultants, under image guidance
Consultant sports-medicine physicians, orthopaedic surgeons and radiologists - with ultrasound guidance as standard, so the injection lands in the structure it is meant to treat.
- 02
The evidence conversation, before payment
PRP has good evidence for some conditions (knee osteoarthritis, tennis elbow) and weak evidence for others. We tell you which camp your problem is in before you spend a penny.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation - PRP, a steroid injection, physiotherapy first, or nothing injectable at all - is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What PRP injections cost in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options, with cover checked.
In short
A single ultrasound-guided PRP injection: £350–£700, walk out the same visit.
| Treatment | Indicative range | Typical duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRP injection - single joint or tendon (ultrasound-guided) | £350–£700 | 45–60 min | Walk out same visit |
| Course of 2–3 PRP injections | £700–£1,800 | 45–60 min each | Over 2–8 weeks |
| PRP for knee osteoarthritis (per injection) | £400–£750 | 45–60 min | Walk out same visit |
| PRP for tendinopathy (tennis elbow, patellar, Achilles) | £350–£700 | 45–60 min | Walk out same visit |
| PRP for hair loss (per session, course of 3–6) | £250–£600 | 45–60 min | Monthly sessions |
| Consultation with sports-medicine consultant | £200–£350 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
| Diagnostic ultrasound (if needed first) | £150–£300 | 20–30 min | Report same day |
Prices vary by city, by the preparation system used and by who injects - consultant-delivered, ultrasound-guided treatment in London sits at the top of the range. Beware quotes that omit the consultation and imaging; we quote everything in one figure, within one working day.
The problem
A confirmed diagnosis, a guided needle, and evidence before enthusiasm.
PRP sits in a market with real science and real hype side by side - unguided injections, no diagnosis, regeneration promises. We fix all three before you book.
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Diagnose before you inject
PRP into the wrong structure treats nothing. Examination and imaging come first, every time - the step the sales funnels skip.
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Guidance is not a luxury
Trials showing PRP works used image-guided injections. Our network injects under ultrasound as standard, so the plasma lands where the evidence says it should.
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Ranked against the alternatives
Steroid, hyaluronic acid, shockwave, rehab alone - PRP is recommended only when it genuinely earns its place in that line-up for your condition.
The journey
From enquiry to review - what happens, in order.
One team from first message through consultation, injection, rehab and the 6–12 week review.
Phase 1 · Before your injection
Triage, diagnosis, preparation
Phase 2 · On the day
Blood draw and injection
Phase 3 · After
Rehab, review
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. The joint or tendon involved, how long, imaging so far, treatments tried, and what you are hoping PRP will achieve.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether PRP is a sensible option for your condition, the right clinician, an indicative price - and the honest alternatives if the evidence is thin.
- 03
Before
Consultation, and imaging if needed
The clinician examines you and reviews or arranges imaging (ultrasound or MRI) to confirm the diagnosis - the step that separates good PRP practice from a sales funnel.
- 04
Before
Preparation instructions
Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, naproxen) are stopped about a week before and after - they blunt the platelet response. Eat and hydrate normally on the day.
- 05
On the day
Blood draw and preparation
15–60 ml of your blood is taken from an arm vein and spun in a centrifuge for around 10–15 minutes, concentrating the platelets into a small volume of plasma.
- 06
On the day
The injection, under ultrasound
Skin cleaned and numbed; the PRP is injected precisely into the joint or tendon under ultrasound guidance. The whole visit takes 45–60 minutes; you walk out.
- 07
After
Recovery, rehab and review
Expect a flare of soreness for 2–7 days - part of the intended response. Graded rehab restarts within days; benefit builds over 6–12 weeks. Review decides whether a second injection adds anything.
Typical end-to-end: 1–2 weeks from enquiry to injection. Benefit builds over 6–12 weeks.
When it helps
When PRP is genuinely worth considering.
The conditions with the strongest case, ranked honestly - plus the one red flag that means urgent assessment rather than an elective injection.
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Knee osteoarthritis (mild to moderate)
The best-evidenced PRP indication - trials suggest meaningful pain and function gains at 6–12 months, often outlasting steroid injections.
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Tennis and golfer’s elbow
Chronic epicondylitis that has failed physiotherapy - PRP has reasonable evidence here, particularly beyond six months of symptoms.
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Patellar and Achilles tendinopathy
Stubborn jumper’s knee or Achilles pain in active people - PRP is an option alongside, never instead of, loading rehab.
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Gluteal tendinopathy and hip pain
Lateral hip pain that has failed conservative care - emerging evidence supports PRP over steroid for longer-lasting relief.
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Plantar fasciitis, persistent
Heel pain resistant to stretching, orthotics and shockwave - PRP is a reasonable next step before considering surgery.
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Hair loss (androgenetic alopecia)
PRP into the scalp can thicken hair in early-pattern hair loss - modest, real effects that need maintenance sessions. We say so plainly.
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Muscle and ligament injuries in sport
Selected hamstring and ligament injuries in athletes - used in elite sport, though evidence for faster return to play is mixed.
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Red flag: a hot, swollen joint or fever
A hot, red, swollen joint with fever may be infection or crystal arthritis - that needs urgent medical assessment, never an elective injection. We route you there.
Treatment options
Preparation and protocol both depend on the condition.
What each option involves - leukocyte-rich or -poor, single injection or course, and how PRP compares with steroid and hyaluronic acid.
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Leukocyte-poor PRP
Platelets concentrated with white cells removed - the preparation most used for joints, particularly knee osteoarthritis, where it appears best tolerated.
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Leukocyte-rich PRP
Platelets concentrated with white cells retained - often favoured for chronic tendinopathy, where the stronger inflammatory stimulus may help remodelling.
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Ultrasound-guided injection
Standard in our network. Guidance confirms the needle sits in the joint space or the diseased tendon segment - accuracy the evidence assumes.
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Single vs course of injections
Knee osteoarthritis protocols often use 2–3 injections a few weeks apart; tendinopathy is usually treated with one, repeated only if partial response.
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PRP vs steroid injection
Steroid works faster but fades and can weaken tendon with repetition. PRP is slower to act but tends to last longer in the conditions where it works. Different tools.
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PRP vs hyaluronic acid
For knee osteoarthritis, head-to-head trials generally favour PRP or find parity. Some clinics combine them; the added benefit is uncertain.
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PRP for skin and hair
The “vampire facial” and scalp PRP sit at the aesthetic end - real but modest evidence for early hair loss, weaker for skin rejuvenation. Priced and pitched accordingly.
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What PRP is not
Not stem cells, not cartilage regrowth, not a cure for severe arthritis. Anyone promising regeneration of a worn joint is overselling - we will tell you straight.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of injectors, we picked them.
Consultant sports-medicine physicians, orthopaedic surgeons and MSK radiologists across London and the major UK cities. Introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every clinician in our network.
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Consultant sports-medicine physicians, orthopaedic surgeons and MSK radiologists - not aesthetic technicians for joint work
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Ultrasound guidance on every musculoskeletal injection, with the preparation method documented
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The evidence for your specific condition discussed before booking - including when PRP is not recommended
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Rehabilitation integrated: every injection comes with a loading and physiotherapy plan
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
PRP is a low-risk injection of your own blood products. The things worth planning are the post-injection flare, the NSAID-free window, and realistic expectations of response.
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Your own blood - low allergy risk
PRP is autologous, so allergic and immune reactions are essentially absent. The risks are those of any injection: infection, bleeding, local soreness.
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Expect a flare, by design
PRP deliberately provokes an inflammatory healing response. Soreness for 2–7 days after injection is normal and usually a good sign - plan the diary around it.
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Infection is rare but real
Joint or soft-tissue infection occurs in well under 1 in 1,000 with sterile technique. A joint that becomes hot, very painful or feverish needs same-day review.
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Stop anti-inflammatories around treatment
NSAIDs blunt the platelet response - stop them about a week before and for 2–4 weeks after, using paracetamol for the flare instead. We remind you at booking.
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Results take weeks, not days
Benefit typically builds over 6–12 weeks as tissue remodels. Judging PRP at a fortnight is judging it too early - the review is scheduled accordingly.
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Response varies honestly
A substantial minority get little benefit even in well-evidenced indications. No reputable clinician guarantees a result, and neither do we.
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Rehab is not optional
For tendinopathy especially, PRP supports a loading programme - it does not replace one. Skipping rehab is the most common reason PRP “fails”.
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Who should avoid PRP
Active infection, platelet disorders, some blood-thinning medication, active cancer at the site, and pregnancy (for elective indications) are the usual exclusions. Screening covers them.
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Red flags after injection
A joint that becomes hot and exquisitely painful, fever, spreading redness, or new numbness or weakness needs the same-day team or A&E - not the routine review.
Reading your procedure note
Your procedure note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever clinic treats you, the note the clinician sends afterwards keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Preparation jargon - spins, concentrations, leukocytes - can read opaquely. We translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the procedure note and the rehab plan before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Diagnosis, target and rationale
The confirmed diagnosis, the structure injected, and why PRP was chosen over the alternatives for your particular problem.
- 02 Technique
Preparation and delivery
Blood volume drawn, the system used, leukocyte-rich or -poor preparation, the volume injected, and confirmation of ultrasound guidance.
- 03 Findings
Imaging findings at injection
What the ultrasound showed - the state of the joint or tendon, effusions, tears - recorded as your baseline for judging response.
- 04 Impression
Rehab plan and review criteria
Read this first: the loading programme, the NSAID-avoidance window, the 6–12 week review date, and what response would justify (or rule out) a further injection.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Insurer cover for PRP varies - some fund it for specific indications, many class it as unproven and decline. The consultation and imaging are usually covered regardless. We confirm your policy’s position before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about PRP.
Quick answers on evidence, cost, recovery, steroid comparisons and the NHS.
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What is PRP and how does it work?
Platelet-rich plasma is made from your own blood: a sample is spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, which are then injected into a painful joint or tendon. Platelets release growth factors that stimulate a healing and remodelling response in tissue that has poor blood supply. It is a regenerative-style treatment in mechanism, but it does not regrow cartilage - its realistic goals are less pain and better function.
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Does PRP actually work?
For some conditions, the evidence is respectable: mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis and chronic tennis elbow show meaningful benefit in multiple trials, often outlasting steroid injections. For others - plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, muscle tears, skin rejuvenation - the evidence is mixed or thin. A substantial minority of patients get little benefit even in the best indications. We tell you which category your problem falls into before you book, not after.
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How much do PRP injections cost in the UK?
A single ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal PRP injection typically costs £350–£700, with knee osteoarthritis courses of two to three injections running £700–£1,800. Scalp PRP for hair loss costs £250–£600 per session over a course of three to six. Consultation (£200–£350) and any diagnostic imaging are usually separate. We confirm firm all-in figures within one working day.
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Is PRP painful, and what is recovery like?
The injection itself is comparable to any joint or tendon injection - brief discomfort, eased by local anaesthetic in the skin. The distinctive part is the flare afterwards: 2–7 days of aching as the intended inflammatory response gets going, managed with paracetamol and ice rather than ibuprofen. Most people work the next day, and graded rehab restarts within days. Benefit then builds over 6–12 weeks.
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PRP or a steroid injection - which should I have?
They do different jobs. Steroid settles inflammation fast - useful for a flare you need controlled quickly - but the effect fades within weeks to months and repeated doses can weaken tendon and cartilage. PRP is slower, kinder to tissue, and in conditions like knee osteoarthritis and tennis elbow tends to last longer. Age, diagnosis, timescale and what you have already tried all feed the decision, which is exactly what the consultation is for.
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Is PRP available on the NHS?
Rarely. NICE guidance treats PRP for osteoarthritis and most tendinopathies as an option only with special arrangements for consent and audit, because the evidence base is still maturing - so routine NHS commissioning is uncommon and varies by trust. In practice, almost all PRP in the UK is delivered privately, which makes independent advice on whether it is worth your money all the more important.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Cortisone shots
Steroid injections for joints and tendons.
Learn more -
Hyaluronic acid injections
Viscosupplementation for joints.
Learn more -
Injection therapy
The full range of guided injections.
Learn more -
Knee physiotherapy
Knee pain assessment and rehab.
Learn more -
Physiotherapy for muscular aches
Assessment-led rehab for muscle pain.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more