ACP Therapy for Sports Injuries in Liverpool
Whether you’re a competitive athlete, a regular gym-goer, or simply someone who has been struck by an unexpected injury, a muscle, tendon, or ligament problem can have a serious impact on your life. Canova Medical’s Liverpool clinic offers ACP (Autologous Conditioned Plasma) therapy — a natural, doctor-led treatment that uses your body’s own healing proteins to support faster, more effective recovery.
No lengthy waiting times. No synthetic drugs. Just targeted biological treatment, tailored to your injury.
What Is a Musculoskeletal Sports Injury?
Sports and physical activity place significant demands on the body’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When these structures are overloaded, overstretched, or subjected to sudden impact, injuries occur.
Muscles
Sudden movements, heavy lifting, or explosive efforts can cause muscle strains, tears, and ruptures — ranging from minor to severe.
Tendons
Tendons connect muscle to bone and are made mainly of collagen fibres. They are vulnerable to both acute tears and chronic overuse injuries that cause ongoing pain and reduced function.
Common tendon conditions we treat at our Liverpool clinic:
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
- Achilles tendinopathy and heel spurs
- Shoulder and biceps tendon injuries
- Jumper’s knee (patellar tendinopathy)
Ligaments
Twists, falls, and collisions can cause ligament sprains and damage to the joint capsule.
Commonly affected joints: ankle, knee, wrist
Signs of a musculoskeletal injury:
- Localised pain and swelling
- Reduced strength or function
- Limited joint movement
- Feeling of weakness or instability
What Is ACP Therapy?
ACP stands for Autologous Conditioned Plasma. It is a concentrated form of your own plasma, rich in growth factors — proteins that naturally direct your body’s healing response at injury sites.
When tissue is damaged, platelets migrate to the area and release growth factors to begin repair. ACP therapy takes this natural process and amplifies it: your blood is drawn, the growth factors are concentrated, and then injected precisely into the injured area to accelerate and enhance healing.
ACP Tendo Therapy is a specialist variation for structural tendon injuries. The growth factors are mixed with a collagen carrier that acts as a scaffold for new cell growth. The collagen degrades naturally within four weeks, leaving repaired tissue behind. ACP Tendo typically requires only one injection.
How ACP Therapy Works at Canova Medical, Liverpool
Step 1 — Consultation
Your doctor will assess the injury, discuss your symptoms and activity goals, and confirm the most appropriate treatment approach. A personalised plan is agreed before treatment begins.
Step 2 — Blood Draw
A small volume of blood is taken from a vein in your arm — a quick, familiar process.
Step 3 — Processing
Your blood is placed in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate the growth factors into the ACP.
Step 4 — Injection
The ACP is injected directly into or around the injured area. For most injuries a course of weekly injections is recommended; ACP Tendo typically requires just one session.
The entire appointment takes under 30 minutes and you go home the same day.
Before & After Expectations
Before treatment:
Stay hydrated before your appointment. Let your doctor know about any medications, particularly anti-inflammatory drugs, which may affect your platelet function.
Immediately after:
Mild soreness and swelling at the injection site is normal for 24–48 hours — this is the healing response being activated, not a problem.
In the weeks that follow:
Most patients experience a gradual but meaningful reduction in pain and improvement in function over 4–8 weeks, continuing to progress as healing completes.
Recovery & Aftercare
- Avoid NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin etc.) after treatment — they can suppress the healing process ACP stimulates
- Rest the treated area for 24–48 hours
- Gradually return to activity as directed by your doctor
- Attend all follow-up appointments, particularly if a course of injections is recommended
- Your doctor will guide you on a safe return-to-sport timeline
Benefits of ACP Therapy
- Entirely natural — uses your own biological material
- Completed in under 30 minutes as an outpatient procedure
- Well-tolerated with very low risk of adverse reaction
- Tailored to your specific injury type and recovery goals
- Effective for both acute injuries and long-standing tendon conditions
- Doctor-led from assessment to aftercare
Why Choose Canova Medical, Liverpool?
- Experienced medical doctors conducting every assessment and treatment
- Full clinical evaluation before any injection is given
- Both standard ACP and ACP Tendo available
- Professional, private clinical environment in Liverpool
- Accessible location — serving patients from across Merseyside, including Wirral, Southport, St Helens, and surrounding areas
- Ongoing support and guidance throughout your recovery
Meet Your Liverpool Doctors
Dr. Konstantinos Gasteratos
GMC Number: 7360815
Dr. Konstantinos Gasteratos is a Specialist in Plastic and Reconstructive Procedure, holding an MSc in Reconstructive MicroProcedure from Queen Mary University.
Mr. Pratap Dutta
GMC Number: 7252978
Mr. Pratap Dutta is a Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Doctor at Liverpool University NHS Foundation Trust, where he also serves as Skin Cancer Lead.
Dr. Akshat Wahal
GMC Number: 7795908
Dr. Akshat Wahal is a skilled Plastic and Reconstructive Doctor with over a decade of experience.Plastic & Reconstructive Doctor
Dr. Nancy Abdel-Rehman
GMC Number: 7679511
Dr. Nancy Abdel-Rehman is a highly experienced Dermatologist with expertise in diagnosing and treating a broad spectrum of skin conditions.
Ready to Be Seen in Liverpool?
Skip the NHS wait. See a GMC-registered doctor at our Waterloo clinic same day or within 2–5 days. 30-minute consultation — no GP referral, no commitment to proceed.
OUR LIVERPOOL CLINIC
Serving Liverpool & Merseyside
Located at 18 South Road, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 5PQ — 5 minutes from Waterloo Merseyrail Station, easily accessible from Crosby, Bootle, Formby, and Southport via the A565.
Address
18 South Road, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 5PQ
Opening Hours
- Mon – Fri: 9AM to 5PM
- Sat – Sun: Closed
Getting Here
5-min walk from Waterloo (Merseyrail) Station. Free parking on South Road.
Procedure well explained and professional service would recommend
Victoria on reception was also lovely, helpful and welcoming.
