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PRP for Knee Osteoarthritis in London: Evidence, Cost and the Assessment That Comes First

By The Wellness Team5 August 20266 min read

PRP may help some people with knee osteoarthritis, but the evidence is mixed. It is not a proven way to regrow cartilage or avoid knee replacement. The London PRP Clinic's joint PRP price is £750. A useful assessment starts with the cause of your pain, what you have already tried and whether the possible benefit justifies an injection for you.

If pain is interrupting walking, work or sleep, you do not need another promise. You need a clear explanation of your options, their limits and the next sensible step. At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, you can ask for an assessment before committing to treatment.

Clinical information reviewed by The Wellness Clinical Team. Updated 15 October 2026. This guide supports a discussion with your clinician; it does not diagnose your knee or replace personal advice.

Discuss a knee assessment on WhatsApp or email the team.

What the evidence says about PRP for knee osteoarthritis

Platelet-rich plasma is prepared from a sample of your own blood and injected into the joint. Its biological rationale is not the same thing as proof that it will repair your cartilage. The preparation, treatment schedule and people included in studies differ, so results cannot be treated as a guarantee for an individual knee.

A 2024 systematic review by Bensa and colleagues included 18 placebo-controlled randomised trials and 1,995 patients. It found improvements in pain and function with PRP compared with placebo. The size and duration of benefit varied, including differences associated with platelet concentration. That is a reason to discuss the evidence and the proposed preparation, rather than assume all PRP injections are equivalent.

There is important conflicting evidence. The RESTORE trial, published in JAMA in 2021, studied 288 adults aged 50 or over with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. Three PRP injections did not produce a statistically significant improvement over saline in its main pain or cartilage-volume outcomes at 12 months. A positive pooled review does not make that result disappear.

NICE says PRP for knee osteoarthritis raises no major safety concerns, but the evidence on effectiveness is limited in quality. Its guidance calls for special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, and audit or research. Patients should understand the uncertainty before choosing treatment. PRP is therefore a discussion to have after assessment, not a routine replacement for established osteoarthritis care.

What a worthwhile knee assessment should cover

The aim is to identify the problem and agree a plan you can judge. A scan showing wear does not, by itself, settle which treatment is best. Bring previous reports, a list of medicines and a short account of what your knee stops you doing.

Describe where the pain is, when it started and whether there was an injury.
Explain stiffness, swelling, locking or giving way and any recent change.
List exercises, physiotherapy, medicines or injections you have tried and what happened.
Choose practical goals, such as walking a familiar route or managing stairs.
Ask what would make the clinician recommend against PRP.

NICE recommends diagnosing typical osteoarthritis clinically in adults aged 45 or over with activity-related joint pain and no morning stiffness, or stiffness lasting no more than 30 minutes. Imaging is not routinely needed unless symptoms are atypical or another diagnosis is suspected. Read our guide to whether an MRI is needed before knee PRP before paying for a scan.

How PRP fits beside exercise, medicines and other options

NICE identifies therapeutic exercise and weight management, where appropriate, as core osteoarthritis treatments. An injection should not crowd out the work that supports function over time. Ask how rehabilitation will continue and what you should do if symptoms persist.

For knee osteoarthritis, NICE recommends a topical anti-inflammatory medicine when medication is needed. Oral medicines require an individual risk assessment. Corticosteroid injections may be considered when other medicines are unsuitable or ineffective, or to support exercise, with an explanation that relief is short term, usually 2 to 10 weeks. NICE advises against offering hyaluronan injections for osteoarthritis. These are different choices with different evidence; it is not accurate to say PRP is always better than every alternative.

Referral for joint replacement can be appropriate when pain, stiffness or reduced function substantially affects quality of life and non-surgical treatment is ineffective or unsuitable. Do not postpone a needed specialist opinion on the promise that PRP will rebuild an advanced arthritic knee.

Ask the team about a knee assessment. Share your goals and previous treatment, and ask for the options and total cost before deciding.

PRP knee injection cost in London

The London PRP Clinic's rate-card price for joint PRP is £750. Ask what this includes, whether assessment or imaging is charged separately, and what follow-up is planned. A course is not automatically included, and the number of injections should be agreed on clinical grounds rather than assumed from a headline price.

When comparing a proposal, ask who will assess the knee, what evidence supports the recommended treatment and what happens if it does not help. A larger package is not necessarily better care. The value of assessment is a clear recommendation, including an honest explanation when an injection is not the right next step.

Marylebone, three minutes from Baker Street. Contact The London PRP Clinic to discuss an assessment and confirm appointment arrangements.

Medicines, safety and when to seek help

Tell the clinician about all prescription and non-prescription medicines, bleeding problems and previous injection reactions. Do not stop aspirin, an anticoagulant or another prescribed medicine yourself to prepare for PRP. Read our medicine-safety guide before PRP and ask for advice specific to your treatment.

A hot swollen joint, rapid deterioration or symptoms following significant injury need timely medical assessment. An elective PRP appointment is not an emergency diagnostic service. If symptoms suggest another condition, establishing the diagnosis comes before choosing an injection.

Questions to ask before deciding

Does PRP work for knee osteoarthritis?

Some trials and pooled reviews report improved pain and function, while the large RESTORE trial found no significant advantage over saline in its main outcomes at 12 months. Benefit is uncertain. Ask how the evidence applies to your condition and the proposed treatment.

Can PRP regrow cartilage or prevent knee replacement?

It should not be sold on either promise. RESTORE found no significant difference in cartilage-volume loss at 12 months. The decision about a surgical opinion depends on symptoms, function and response to non-surgical care, not an injection guarantee.

Do I need an MRI first?

Not routinely for typical osteoarthritis. A clinician may recommend imaging to answer a specific question, investigate atypical features or clarify another possible diagnosis.

How will I know whether treatment helped?

Agree a baseline and a review plan before treatment. Record pain and practical function, such as walking or stairs, and ask when to reassess and what the next step will be if there is no worthwhile improvement. Avoid a pre-paid maintenance plan without a clear reason.

Take the next step with a clear plan

You can enquire without committing to an injection. Explain your symptoms, what you have already tried and the activity you want to get back to. Ask for a knee assessment, a realistic account of the evidence and a written explanation of costs.

Message The London PRP Clinic on WhatsApp, email team@thewellnesslondon.com or use our enquiry page.