What is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy is a treatment that stimulates the body to repair the painful area. The official definition of Prolotherapy in Webster's Third New International Dictionary is "the rehabilitation of an incompetent structure, such as a ligament or tendon, by the induced proliferation of new cells."

The term was coined by George S. Hackett, M.D., in 1956. He describes Prolotherapy as follows: "The treatment consists of the injection of a solution within the relaxed ligament and tendon which will stimulate the production of new fibrous tissue and bone cells that will strengthen the weld of fibrous tissue and bone to stabilize the articulation (where the bone and ligament meet) and permanently eliminate the disability. To the treatment of proliferating new cells, I have applied the name Prolotherapy from the world "Prolo" (Latin) meaning offspring- proliferate" to produce new cells in rapid succession (Webster's Dictionary). (Hackett, G. Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy. Third Edition. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, 1958.)

Prolotherapy involves the injection of substances that cause stimulation at the fibrous tissue (ligaments and tendons) junction with the bone. The site where ligaments and tendons are typically injured is at their junction with the bone. Most things break down at a junction site because this is the weakest part of the structure. This is especially true in the weight-bearing joints. A good example of this is when the leg of a chair is wobbly or loose. This is usually due to a loose connection where the leg attaches to the seat of the chair. By tightening the attachment of the leg to the seat, the chair becomes more stable.

Prolotherapy is Like Spot Welding

Dr. Hackett used the word "weld,"which is a very accurate description of Prolotherapy. Prolotherapy welds the ligaments and tendons to the bone. This is the concept behind Prolotherapy.

Dr. Hackett called Prolotherapy a treatment to permanently strengthen the weld of disabled ligaments and tendons to bone, by stimulating the production of new bone and fibrous tissue cells. So successful was P rolotherapy that he noted that the adoption of improved diagnosis and treatment by Prolotherapy of skeletal disability by orthopedic and neurological surgeons reduced spinal fusion operations by 95 percent. (Hackett, G. Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy. Third Edition. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, 1958.)

Prolotherapy Supported in the Literature

Dr. Hackett assumed that surgeons would readily learn the technique. The book reviewer for the Journal of the American Medical Association wrote in his review of Dr. Hackett's book, "An interesting and challenging book...the report of such a high incidence of recovery of the patients treated by the author should cause all physicians whose minds are not closed to new ideas to study the methods used and put them to the therapeutic test." (Hackett, G. Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy. Third Edition. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, 1958.)

Another major medical journal, the British Journal of Physical Medicine, wrote, "I hope the book, Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy, will be widely read by orthopedic surgeons, especially those who are inclined to resort to surgery too rapidly. Here is a method which is not harmful and may well save a lot of laminectomies and save many patients from being trussed up in corsets.(Hackett, G. Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy. Third Edition. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, 1958.)

Even state medical society journals were excited. For instance the Ohio State Medical Journal wrote, "The book has been written so as to enable the reader to successfully carry out the diagnosis and treatment.(Hackett, G. Ligament and Tendon Relaxation Treated by Prolotherapy. Third Edition. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, 1958.)

The American Medical Association was so excited about Prolotherapy that they let Dr. Hackett make presentations at their scientific exhibits several times in the 1950s. All of the above occurred in the late 1950s.The above confirms that Prolotherapy is a safe treatment that is easily learned, which not only treats, but also confirms the diagnosis and eliminates a lot of unnecessary surgeries. Why aren't all physicians, especially orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine physicians, doing it? The answer is apparent when you get a glimpse into what was occurring in medicine at that time.

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