A syringe assembly includes a substantially cylindrical syringe barrel including a fluid dispensing end, an open end, and at least one protrusion adjacent the open end, the at least one protrusion projecting inwardly from an inner surface of the syringe barrel, a stopper configured to be received within the open end of the syringe barrel, and a plunger rod having a plunger rod body extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end and at least one support disk provided on the distal end thereof. The support disk on the plunger rod is configured to bear against the protrusion of the syringe barrel upon misalignment of the plunger rod in the syringe barrel.