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Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a revolutionary procedure that uses components of the body’s own blood cells to stimulate the natural healing process in certain orthopedic conditions. The body’s first response to any soft tissue injury (ligaments and tendons) is to deliver platelet cells. Filled with healing and growth factors, platelets jump start the repair process and attract the essential aid of stem cells.

PRP therapy’s natural healing process accelerates the body’s efforts by delivering a higher concentration of platelets through a simple injection. It provides effective pain relief and faster healing, and it can eliminate the need for surgery and prolonged recovery.

PRP therapy has been shown to decrease the pain associated with acute and chronic tendon and ligament injuries such as partial tears, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff injuries, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, tendonitis, strains and sprains.

Dr. Eric Parks is one of only a few doctors in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia performing this amazingly simple, yet powerfully healing procedure. To find out if you are a candidate for PRP therapy, visit our patient portal or call (423) 282-9011 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Parks.

Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) are tests to help your orthopedic doctor determine how well your muscles and nerves work. EMG is a test that measures the electrical nerve impulses in muscles to identify poor nerve input or poor nerve functioning. NCV measures how well a nerve works and can help specify the site of a nerve injury.

EMG and NCV are often performed at the same time to help diagnose nerve compression or injury (such as carpal tunnel syndrome), nerve root injury (such as sciatica), or other nerve abnormalities associated with pain or numbness.

Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, uses a magnetic field and a sophisticated computer system to give reliable and detailed images of the body. In orthopedics, we use MRI for high quality images of soft tissue areas such as tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Our MRI machine produces very clear images of the extremities, including the hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, foot and ankle.

MRI can help provide information for a fast and accurate diagnosis and possibly reduce the need for exploratory surgery or other diagnostic procedures.

With a personalized treatment plan and one-on-one care, the therapy team at Watauga Orthopedics will help you meet your rehabilitation and training goals. Our mission is to help relieve your pain and regain function and mobility so you can feel like your old self again and get back to living your life the way you did before you were injured.

Physical therapy is available at all three of our locations in Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol. Learn more about our physical and occupational therapy services.

Viscosupplementation therapy is an appropriate treatment for people with knee arthritis that has failed to respond to more conservative therapy. A solution of hyaluronic acid is injected directly into the knee joint to restore the cushioning and lubricating properties of normal joint fluid. It is useful for people who are trying to delay surgery or are not candidates for knee replacement surgery. Viscosupplementation injections are typically given weekly for 3 or 4 weeks.

During treatment for your injury or condition, your physician may prescribe a brace, splint, or ambulatory aid (such as a walker or crutches). We are happy to give you the option of obtaining this prescribed equipment here at Watauga Orthopaedics.

The braces and splints we carry are mainly hand selected by our physicians so you are guaranteed that you will receive exactly what your physician has prescribed without having to search around town.

As a courtesy, we can bill most insurance plans for braces, splints, and DME items on your behalf. There is typically a deductible, and the cost of the brace or DME item will contribute towards the deductible until that amount is met.

Coverage for DME can vary greatly among insurance plans, but in most cases patients incur some out-of-pocket costs for these items (even with Medicare). We will strive to notify you of these types of items before you choose to receive them.