Sports injuries can stop you in your tracks — whether you’re a weekend runner, a gym regular, or a competitive athlete. At Canova Medical in Wilmslow, we offer ACP (Autologous Conditioned Plasma) therapy: a clinician-led, natural treatment that works with your body’s own healing processes to accelerate recovery from muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries.
No lengthy waiting lists. No general anaesthetic. Just targeted, evidence-informed treatment from experienced doctors.
What Is a Musculoskeletal Sports Injury?
Your muscles, tendons, and ligaments work under enormous strain every day. When that strain becomes too much — through overloading, sudden impact, or repetitive movement — injuries occur.
Muscles
Jerky movements, excessive effort, or sudden tension can cause muscle tears and strains. These range from minor micro-tears to significant full-thickness ruptures.
Tendons
Tendons are made primarily of collagen fibres and are vulnerable to both sudden tears and chronic overuse injuries. Persistent low-level damage leads to tendinopathy — pain and stiffness that doesn’t resolve with rest alone.
Common tendon conditions we treat:
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
- Achilles tendinopathy and calcaneal (heel) spurs
- Shoulder and biceps tendon injuries
- Jumper’s knee (patellar tendinopathy)
Ligaments
Falls, twists, and direct impact can damage ligaments and joint capsules, causing sprains and instability.
Commonly affected joints: ankle, knee, wrist
Recognising a sports injury:
- Swelling and localised pain
- Loss of strength or function
- Restricted joint movement
- Feeling of instability in the joint
What Is ACP Therapy?
ACP stands for Autologous Conditioned Plasma — plasma derived from your own blood that is rich in growth factors. These are naturally occurring proteins that your body releases at injury sites to trigger and coordinate healing.
In normal recovery, platelets travel to the injured area and release growth factors to begin repair. ACP therapy concentrates these proteins and delivers them precisely where they are needed — amplifying the body’s natural healing response.
ACP Tendo Therapy is a variation developed specifically for structural tendon injuries. The concentrated growth factors are combined with an innovative collagen carrier, which acts as a scaffold to support cell regrowth. The collagen breaks down naturally within four weeks, leaving behind repaired tissue. ACP Tendo typically requires only a single injection.
How ACP Therapy Works at Canova Medical, Wilmslow
Step 1 — Consultation
Your doctor will assess your injury, review your history, and confirm whether ACP therapy is appropriate for you. A personalised treatment plan is agreed before anything begins.
Step 2 — Blood Draw
A small amount of blood is drawn from a vein in your arm — a straightforward process taking just a few minutes.
Step 3 — Separation & Concentration
The blood is placed in a centrifuge, which separates and concentrates the growth factors from the rest of the blood into what becomes the ACP.
Step 4 — Injection
The concentrated ACP is injected directly into or around the injured site. For standard ACP therapy, a course of injections spaced weekly may be recommended. For ACP Tendo (tendon injuries), a single injection is often sufficient.
The entire process takes less than 30 minutes and is performed as an outpatient procedure.
Before & After Expectations
Before treatment:
Arrive well-hydrated. Inform your doctor of any medications you’re taking, particularly anti-inflammatory drugs, as these may affect platelet function.
During treatment:
You may feel a brief, mild discomfort at the injection site. Local anaesthetic can be used to improve comfort.
After treatment:
Some temporary soreness and swelling at the injection site is normal in the first 24–48 hours — this is part of the healing response. Most patients return to light activity quickly, with a gradual return to full training as healing progresses.
Recovery & Aftercare
- Avoid anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) after the injection unless instructed otherwise — they can interfere with the healing process ACP initiates
- Rest the treated area for 24–48 hours
- Light activity can usually be resumed within a few days
- Your doctor will advise on a graduated return-to-sport timeline
- Attend all scheduled follow-up injections if a course is recommended
Benefits of ACP Therapy
- Uses your body’s own biological material — no synthetic drugs
- Outpatient procedure completed in under 30 minutes
- Well tolerated with minimal side effects
- Personalised treatment plan based on your injury type
- Effective for both acute injuries and chronic tendon conditions
- Clinician-led at every stage
Why Choose Canova Medical, Wilmslow?
- Experienced medical doctors — not physios or beauty therapists
- Full clinical assessment before treatment
- Both standard ACP and ACP Tendo available
- Calm, professional private clinic environment
- Convenient Wilmslow location — accessible from Alderley Edge, Knutsford, Hale, Cheadle, and South Manchester
- Clear follow-up support throughout recovery
Meet Your Wilmslow 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.
OUR WILMSLOW CLINIC
Serving Wilmslow & Cheshire
Located at 36A Alderley Rd, Wilmslow SK9 1JX — 5 minutes from Wilmslow Train Station. n. We are easily accessible from Handforth and Manchester via the A34, and from Knutsford via the A538.
Address
36A Alderley Rd, Wilmslow, SK9 1JX
Opening Hours
- Mon – Sat: 10AM to 8PM
- Sunday: Closed
Getting Here
By Train: 10-min walk or 5-min drive from Wilmslow Train Station.
By Car: 12-minute drive from Manchester Airport. Conveniently located for patients traveling from Alderley Edge and across Cheshire.
The team are excellent very knowledgeable, friendly and completely put you at ease. I cannot recommend this place enough.
Thank you to Anna, Charlotte and Jennie.
You do an amazing job,
My legs feel constantly smooth and I never think about shaving them. I’ve gone from shaving everyday to every few weeks and that was only after 4 sessions.
I am recommending all my friends to try it, you won’t regret it.
And a bonus is getting to have a chat with the lovely Charlotte who made the whole process even better!
Highly recommended 👌.
Thank you Canova team.