A Dancer's Story: Staying Active with Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

For more than three decades, Melissa Allen, known to many of her students as "Miss Mo," has made movement her life's work. A professional dancer since age 18, she has spent 34 years dancing, teaching, and helping others discover the joy of movement.

When arthritis in her big toe began limiting her mobility, Melissa turned to Devyani Hunt, MD, a WashU Medicine physical medicine and rehabilitation physician who helps active patients manage pain and maintain mobility.

With the help of PRP therapy, a minimally invasive treatment that uses platelets from a patient's own blood to support healing, Melissa experienced meaningful pain relief and was able to continue teaching, dancing, surfing, and maintaining the active lifestyle she loves.

A career built on movement

Throughout her dancing career, Melissa performed in character shoes, low-heeled theater shoes commonly worn in musical theater and dance productions. Designed to support performers during extended periods of dancing and stage movement, character shoes place significant stress on the forefoot and toes over time.

Years of dancing in character shoes contributed to bunions and other wear-and-tear injuries in Melissa's feet. As both a dancer and Pilates instructor, she understood the importance of body mechanics.

"I learned how to reshape my feet and realign my toes so I wasn't suffering as much from the bunions," Melissa says.

While Melissa successfully managed many of the aches and pains that came with a career in dance, one injury would prove far more difficult to overcome.

When an injury led to arthritis

About 10 years ago, Melissa expanded her passion for movement into aerial arts and trapeze. During a swinging trapeze routine, the apparatus was hung too low to allow proper clearance.

"On a downward swing, I landed on the tops of my feet," she recalls. "Both of my big toes snapped."

Initially, Melissa tried to push through the injury. Three days later, however, the pain became impossible to ignore, and she went to the Emergency Department, where imaging confirmed fractures in both big toes.

Although she completed physical therapy, the injury left lasting damage in the right toe. Over time, arthritis developed in the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, located at the base of her big toe, causing increasing pain and limiting her ability to move.

Finding relief with PRP

As the pain worsened, Melissa went to see Dr. Hunt, whom she describes as a trusted physician and a go-to provider within the dance and artistic community. Dr. Hunt helps lead the Medical Program for Performing Arts, which focuses on the health and well-being of performing artists.  

"She's the physician dancers go to," Melissa says.

Seeking a treatment that could relieve pain while allowing Melissa to maintain her active lifestyle, Dr. Hunt recommended PRP therapy.

“PRP injections can help those with chronic tendon tears, ligament injuries, and arthritis when traditional treatments haven’t worked,” Dr. Hunt says. “We concentrate the patient’s own platelets that contain growth factors and inject them directly into the injured area. It’s especially useful for injuries that aren’t healing on their own.”

The platelets contain growth factors that help support tissue healing and reduce inflammation. PRP is commonly used to treat joint pain, tendon injuries, and arthritis, particularly when conservative treatments, such as physical therapy or steroid injections, have not provided relief.

While PRP is considered an investigational treatment by the FDA for many orthopedic conditions, it is generally regarded as safe because it uses a concentrated sample of the patient's own blood. Insurance coverage varies, and some plans may not cover the procedure.

"Melissa's goal wasn't simply to reduce pain. She wanted to continue teaching, stay active, and keep doing the things she loves," Dr. Hunt says. "While PRP can't reverse arthritis or restore lost motion, it can help reduce inflammation and improve pain. Our goal was to help her maintain her quality of life, remain active, and potentially delay more invasive treatment."

The results were significant.

"The first PRP injection worked great," Melissa says.

The treatment reduced her pain and helped her continue teaching, moving, and staying active despite the ongoing effects of arthritis.

A second treatment for progressing arthritis

About a year ago, Melissa returned to Dr. Hunt as her arthritis continued to progress.

By that point, arthritis had restricted the joint capsule and permanently limited her range of motion.

"My toe bends about 45 degrees instead of 90," Melissa says. "I'm not able to wear high heels or character shoes anymore because my big toe simply won't bend enough."

Because of her worsening symptoms, Melissa underwent a second PRP treatment in the first MTP joint of her right foot.  

Following the injection, Melissa experienced soreness and sensitivity.

Despite the temporary discomfort, Melissa believes the treatment was worthwhile.

"It's kept me as pain-free as possible," she says. "I have permanent limitations in my range of motion, but the PRP injection has helped with the pain, and I would definitely do it again."

At her six-month follow-up appointment, Dr. Hunt confirmed that the joint had healed as much as possible given the extent of the arthritis.

Continuing a life in motion

Today, Melissa continues teaching, dancing, and sharing her love of movement with others. Thanks to PRP therapy, she has been able to manage her pain and maintain the active lifestyle that has defined her life for more than three decades.  

Although she can no longer move her foot the way she once did, Melissa has adapted her technique to accommodate the limited range of motion in her big toe. By modifying certain movements and relying on the body awareness she developed over years of dance and Pilates instruction, she continues to perform and teach.

"The PRP helped me continue doing what I love," she said. "That's what matters most."

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Hunt or another physical medicine and rehabilitation physician by calling 314-514-3500.

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About Devyani Hunt, MD

Devyani Hunt, MD sees patients 12 years and older for conservative management of musculoskeletal conditions and orthopedic injuries, with a focus on lifestyle medicine, young adult hip problems, performing arts medicine, and female athletes. Common conditions treated include sports-related injuries, joint pain and arthritis, spine disorders, and young adult hip conditions.  

She offers a wide range of nonsurgical procedures and treatments, including electromyography (EMG), epidural steroid injections, musculoskeletal ultrasound-guided procedures, peripheral joint injections, Synvisc injections, and regenerative medicine treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections.

Dr. Hunt is fellowship-trained in sports medicine and serves as one of the team physicians for St. Louis CITY SC, St. Louis’ Major League Soccer (MLS) team.

Dr. Hunt is consistently recognized in "The Best Doctors in America" list.