PRP for Knee Osteoarthritis | The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness

Is the pain actually osteoarthritis?

Knee pain can come from arthritis, a tendon, an injury or another condition. The location of pain, swelling, stiffness, previous injury and examination help guide the next step. Imaging is useful when it would change the plan, not simply because an injection is available.

A hot, swollen knee with fever, sudden inability to bear weight or a significant new injury needs prompt medical assessment rather than a routine PRP booking.

Contact us on WhatsApp at +44 7961 280835 or call 020 3951 3429 to discuss an assessment. Tell us about previous scans, treatments and any planned surgery.

What PRP may offer

PRP is prepared from a sample of your own blood and injected into the joint. Some studies report reduced pain and better function in knee osteoarthritis, but results differ and the preparation and injection schedules are not standardised. Improvement in pain is not proof that cartilage has regrown.

NICE identifies no major safety concerns in the available evidence, while requiring particular care over consent and oversight because evidence of benefit is limited in quality. This does not mean the procedure is risk free. Pain, swelling, bleeding and infection need discussion before treatment.

What to ask your clinic

Ask who assesses your knee and performs the injection, why PRP is being considered for your diagnosis and how treatment is carried out safely. Ask whether any imaging guidance is appropriate, what the alternatives are and when the response will be reviewed. Do not choose on the basis of a promised success rate alone.

A useful review measures pain and function, such as walking, stairs and the activities you want to return to. Agree those goals before treatment. If there is no useful response, reassess rather than automatically repeating injections.

PRP alongside other care

An injection should not replace an appropriate exercise and rehabilitation plan. Weight management, where relevant, and other symptom treatments can also be discussed. For severe symptoms, specialist advice about other procedures or surgery may be more appropriate. The best plan depends on your knee and your goals.

Contact The Wellness on WhatsApp at +44 7961 280835, call 020 3951 3429 or email team@thewellnesslondon.com for a discussion of the options and their limits.

Knee PRP pricing

Joint and tendon PRP starts at £750. Confirm the total cost and number of planned injections after assessment, along with any separate investigation or follow up costs. There is no injection count that guarantees a result.

Before and after a knee injection

Before any procedure, explain your medicines, allergies, bleeding history and any recent infection. Tell the clinician if you take anticoagulants or have had a previous joint infection. Do not stop prescribed medicines on your own. You should receive an individual preparation and aftercare plan, including a way to contact the clinic if you are concerned.

Temporary soreness or swelling can occur after an injection. The plan for work, walking, driving and returning to exercise depends on your knee, the procedure and your activities. A fixed promise of no downtime is not a useful substitute for specific advice. Increasing pain, marked redness, fever or a very swollen knee after an injection needs urgent medical advice.

Questions to ask before booking

Can PRP replace a knee replacement? It cannot be promised as a replacement. If symptoms are severe or your function is declining, seek appropriate specialist advice rather than delaying it because of a regeneration claim.

How many injections will I need? Studies use different schedules. The clinician should explain the proposed number and why it fits your case. Do not treat a package size as proof that more injections give a better result.

Is PRP better than a steroid injection? The treatments have different purposes and the comparison depends on diagnosis, the time period being measured and the evidence used. Ask about short term symptom relief, longer term function and the quality of the studies rather than a single ranking.

Will a scan show whether treatment worked? Your symptoms and function matter as well as imaging. A scan result alone cannot establish that an injection caused improvement. Agree your review measures in advance.

Evidence and review

NICE HealthTech guidance 497, Platelet rich plasma injections for knee osteoarthritis. Recommendations remain unchanged following the migration from IPG637. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/htg497/chapter/1-Recommendations

Written and reviewed by the clinical team at The Wellness. Updated October 2026. General information, not individual medical advice.