It has been just over a week since Dr. Sampson received a PRP injection for his torn Quad muscle, and at this point he has tasted a lot of his own medicine. Since his injection, Dr. Sampson has been using himself as a test subject, combining treatment recommendations from colleagues around the world, to get a first hand look at the effectiveness and overall patient experience with a variety of options, from common everyday remedies to cutting edge technology.
Dr. Sampson has explored some common adjunct treatments such as muscle stim, Cryotherapy with pneumatic compression (Top Left), 2xU compression sleeves, kinesiotaping (Top Right), nutritional supplements, physical therapy and massage. However, he jumped at the opportunity to experience some more progressive therapies such as Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF), Laser therapy, and even Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (Bottom). When asked how his Quad was responding, he replied,“I’m noticing significant improvements, and it’s feeling great”.
Now, Dr. Sampson’s multi-disciplinary “shotgun” approach is obviously not the specific recipe for success by any means. But medicine can be more of an art than a science sometimes. It is important for clinicians and scientists alike to investigate the interactions and efficacy of different combinations of therapies to formulate the best treatment algorithm for an injury or disease, even if they use themselves as the patient. In fact, it’s not uncommon for researchers and doctors to make themselves the test subject.
A researcher out of Australia by the name of Barry Marshall drank a petri dish of bacteria, which he believed was the cause of stomach ulcers, in an attempt to prove his theory. Shortly after, Barry Marshall did in fact develop a stomach ulcer, and he successfully treated himself with antibiotics. Barry was awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering the link between H. Pylori bacteria and stomach ulcers.
It might be a little far fetched to compare Dr. Sampson’s plethora of self-treatment with the severity of Barry Marshall’s, but its important to recognize the connection. To make great strides in medicine and truly discover something groundbreaking, it takes an innate curiosity, combined with determination, and the willingness to explore uncharted areas. Dr. Sampson’s self-exploration is a shining example of his passion and drive for advancing the field of Platelet Rich Plasma and regenerative orthopedics. Dr. Sampson and the Orthohealing Center strive to be pioneers in the field and remain at the forefront of research, so they can provide the best patient care.
Stay tuned for more updates on Dr. Sampson’s injury and let’s see how the Quad muscle looks when he does the follow up ultrasound exam!
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