Claudine Gervais sent me a link to a very interesting article.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy is an experimental treatment for “stubborn” injuries including (common-in-gymnasts) knee tendinitis.
… The method, which is strikingly straightforward and easy to perform, centers on injecting portions of a patient’s blood directly into the injured area, which catalyzes the body’s instincts to repair muscle, bone and other tissue. Most enticing, many doctors said, is that the technique appears to help regenerate ligament and tendon fibers, which could shorten rehabilitation time and possibly obviate surgery. …
NY Times – A Promising Treatment for Athletes, in Blood
It sounds something like blood doping.
Cost about $2000 in the USA, not something the average amateur gymnast can consider.
But if it proves to work, cost may come down.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 