AimTo determine the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for symptomatic tendinopathy.DesignSystematic review of randomised, injection-controlled trials with meta-analysis.Data sourcesSystematic searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE, supplemented by manual searches.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesRandomised controlled trials with 3 months minimum follow-up that evaluated pain reduction with PRP versus control (saline, local anaesthetic, corticosteroid) injections in patients with symptomatic tendinopathy.ResultsA total of 16 randomised controlled trials (18 groups) of PRP versus control were included. Median sample size was 35 patients, a study size that would require an effect size ≥1.0 to achieve statistical significance. PRP was more efficacious than control in reducing tendinopathy pain, with an effect size of 0.47 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.72, p<0.001), signifying a moderate treatment effect. Heterogeneity among studies was moderate (I2=67%, p<0.001). In subgroup analysis and meta-regression, studies with a higher proportion of female patients were associated with greater treatment benefits with PRP.ConclusionsInjection of PRP is more efficacious than control injections in patients with symptomatic tendinopathy.