What is Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy?

Platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP) is a procedure used to treat tendon injuries and practiced by select clinicians. Recent studies have supported the findings that PRP is more efficient in healing tennis elbow injuries than corticosteroid injections.

Due to the limited blood circulation, injured tendons commonly heal particularly slow. Due to their natural attraction to healing growth factors, the basis of platelet rich plasma therapy is the injection of a patient’s own blood platelets to the location of the injured tendon.

Although studies have shown patients undergoing platelet rich plasma therapy report a 64% and 84% improvement in pain and disability, respectively; most insurance plans do not cover the procedure and treatment can cost between $750 and $1,500.

About the author

Dr. Jonathan Komar

Board certified by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Jonathan Komar, MD received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. Focusing on physical rehabilitation, Dr. Jonathan Komar has been practicing medicine for more than 15 years and most recently served as partner at Southwest Spine and Sports in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Komar has extensive education and training in platelet rich plasma therapy.

Disney Theme Parks’ Three Classic “Mountain” Rides

Three of Disney’s most iconic and long-lived rides are its “Mountain” rides:

1. Space Mountain – First opened in Disney’s Florida Magic Kingdom Park in 1975, Space Mountain is a rollercoaster in near darkness, designed to simulate a rocket ride through space. Disneyland California’s Space Mountain debuted two years after the original. This Disney theme park staple now resides at every one of its parks.

2. Thunder Mountain – Officially titled Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Thunder Mountain takes you on a runaway train ride through a rocky desert landscape. This ride first opened at California’s Disneyland park in 1979 but has since become a fixture of all Disney theme parks.

3. Splash Mountain – First opened at Disneyland California in 1989, Splash Mountain is the newest ride on the list. It is also the only one on the list that isn’t yet at every park, with versions only appearing at Disneyland California, Disneyland Tokyo, and Florida’s Magic Kingdom. The water ride features characters from the Disney movie Song of the South.

About the author

A former partner at Southwest Spine and Sports, Jonathan Komar, MD, enjoys traveling with his family. Jonathan Komar, MD, and his family have made multiple trips to Disney theme parks in both Florida and California.

NECA Releasing Weird Al Action Figure Line

Toy company NECA recently released its own “Weird Al” Yankovic action figure. On shelves in May, NECA’s first 8-inch figure in the line pays tribute to Weird Al’s early days. Sporting a goofy perm, spectacles, and pencil mustache, the figure is outfitted in a colorful shirt and baggy jeans right out of the 1980s, the decade that cemented Weird Al’s place in pop culture history with hits like “Eat It,” “Like a Surgeon,” and “I Love Rocky Road.”

The figure also features Weird Al’s signature accordion, a microphone, and a second, interchangeable head to give the artist a more modern appearance. NECA has not specified many details about future figures in the line, only that they are due out this year and in 2017, and are based on some of the singer’s biggest hits.

Weird Al fans can follow the latest news regarding the figures by visiting http://www.necaonline.com or http://www.weirdal.com.

About the author

Jonathan Komar, MD, was partner at Southwest Spine and Sports in Scottsdale, Arizona, from 2007 to 2015. In his down time, Jonathan Komar, MD, enjoys the musical comedy of “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Jonathan Komar photo: 8/4/2016