Injection Principles

A joint or soft tissue injection uses a needle to place a drug into, or draw fluid from, a joint, bursa or soft tissue. Safe practice rests on the right patient, the right target and the right agent.

Informed consent, an aseptic technique and a clear aftercare plan support every injection. An injection is one part of management rather than a cure on its own, and most work best alongside rehabilitation.

This page covers:

• •Why and when injections are used, and when they are not
• •How they are given safely
• •The risks, the aftercare and the anti-doping rules for a competing athlete