Knee pain is stressful and painful, no matter the cause. From osteoarthritis to ligament damage to chronic overuse, many people go right to the surgical route to fix things because they assume that’s the only answer. But it’s not. Regenerative medicine may be able to help instead. This non-invasive alternative uses your own natural repair systems to heal. As a result, you can experience relief of pain and discomfort as well as improved function — delaying or even avoiding surgery altogether.
Regenerative medicine approaches such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) offer non‑surgical alternatives for many types of knee damage. Today we’ll explore some of these non‑surgical regenerative approaches for knee pain to see how they work and who makes a good candidate.
Platelet‑Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), one of the most commonly used regenerative treatments, takes a small sample of your own blood and then processes it to concentrate the platelets. Platelets are important because they contain powerful growth factors and healing proteins. That solution is then injected into the injured knee joint to:
- Reduce inflammation
- Alleviate pain
- Improve mobility
- Promote healing of tendon, ligament, or cartilage damage
PRP has shown promise in treating mild to moderate osteoarthritis. One recent study showed that PRP helped improve pain and stiffness, mobility and function, and quality of life.
Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy may help regenerate damaged tissues in the knee via two possible sources: bone marrow‑derived stem cells and adipose (fat)‑derived stem cells. Once concentrated, these stem cells are injected into the affected joint.
Here at the Regenerative Medicine Institute of Michigan, we offer cutting-edge mesenchymal stem cell therapy that utilizes bone marrow-derived cells to address a variety of musculoskeletal and degenerative conditions. These cells can differentiate into various tissue types while modulating inflammatory responses.
Mesenchymal stem cell therapy can address many conditions where conventional treatments have otherwise not worked for patients, including knee osteoarthritis and knee cartilage lesions.
Research has shown that stem cell therapy for people with knee osteoarthritis may slightly improve pain and function, delay cartilage degeneration, and reduce the need for extensive surgeries.
Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy treatment can be used to strengthen weakened ligaments and tendons for patients with knee and other pain. Also known as regenerative injection therapy, prolotherapy stimulates the body’s natural healing response with injections that promote new tissue formation while restoring structural integrity to damaged connective tissues.
This technique involves injections of a mild irritant (usually dextrose) to stimulate the body’s repair response and heal discomfort in ligaments, tendons, or joint support structures. Prolotherapy is thought to stabilize joints, improve structural stability, control inflammation, and reduce pain.
Supportive Therapies
Regenerative treatments work best when used in conjunction with a variety of supportive therapies, such as:
- Physical therapy: This helps to strengthen muscles around the knee and improve joint function.
- Weight management: Losing weight can reduce stress on joints.
- Low‑impact exercises: Swimming and cycling can promote mobility without damaging cartilage.
- Knee supports or braces: Wear as needed.
Ideal Candidates For Regenerative Medicine For Knee Injury
Just because you have knee pain doesn’t mean you’re necessarily a good candidate for regenerative alternatives. However, you may be a good fit if you:
- Have mild to moderate osteoarthritis (not advanced bone‑on‑bone joint damage)
- Have mild tears in ligaments or meniscus
- Are willing to commit to follow-up care such as physical therapy
- Want to avoid surgery, lengthy rehab, or the risks associated with surgery
Contact the Regenerative Medicine Institute
Booking a consultation with a pain specialist in Michigan will determine if you are a good candidate for regenerative medicine for knee injury. Contact us today at (248) 771-1300 to book your consultation today!