Effectiveness of Ultrasound Guided Platelet Rich Plasma Injections in the Sacroiliac Joint

This prospective study will be quantitatively analyzing the effectiveness of platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) injections into the sacroiliac (SI) joint in relieving sacroiliitis and low back pain originating from the SI joint. The effectiveness of PRP injections on joint pain has been well studied in the knee and shoulder. PRP injections are performed on the SI joint commonly, but there is little research documenting their effectiveness when compared to other interventions. This study will be a small pilot study to aid in closing this knowledge gap. Additionally, these injections will be performed under ultrasound guidance. Ultrasound has been proven to be of equal reliability to fluoroscopy and has the advantage of shorter time to administer and no radiation. There will be one arm to this study. The data collected will be compared to existing studies on corticosteroid SI joint injection. The experimental arm consists of the PRP injection. The PRP will be injected into the joint using the exact same technique via physical exam, special tests, and ultrasound guidance as performed in our previous studies. The outcomes will be measured with the Numeric Rating Scale for Pain (NRS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) prior to the injection, immediately post-injection, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-injection. The investigators hypothesis is, "Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in the Sacroiliac Joint using ultrasonography in conjunction with physical examination and Point of Maximal Tenderness will produce statistically significant pain relief for more than 3 months as measured by the Numeric Rating Scale for Pain (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)."