Holistic Medicine : Scarpone Sports Regenerative

Is Your Musculoskeletal Physician Giving You the Best Options?

Having been on the forefront of autologous stem cell and biologic therapies for over 20 years, I am concerned by the vast number of clinics and websites that are popping up around the country, claiming to be experts in procedures like stem cell therapy or platelet rich plasma (PRP).

As a patient, it is important for you to be able to distinguish between clinics who treat regenerative medicine as a “trend” and physicians who study it passionately as a groundbreaking new world of musculoskeletal care.

I believe in this kind of therapy and I want to make sure you are equipped with the best care available for your type of injury or pain. There are many amazing regenerative physicians out there. I want to help you find them.

Here are 4 important questions you should ask yourself when shopping for a regenerative medicine physician.

1. Are they offering one-size-fits-all solutions or holistic treatment?

Medicine, including regenerative therapies, should be holistic. Not every regenerative procedure will affect the same injury or patient in the same way.

There is not a one-size-fits-all regenerative medicine procedure.

We need to remember that options like physical therapy, TENEX, chiropractic care, massage therapy, and a lifestyle of physical activity are very good and viable options that are often better or just as important as regenerative medicine procedures. In some cases, a more invasive surgery is truly the best option. Stem cell therapy need not be thought of as a one-stop-shop for every condition.

At Scarpone Sports Regenerative, we use a holistic approach and offer a wide variety of treatment options. We want to find your unique path to recovery suited to your personal health needs.

2. Is this a musculoskeletal clinic or a spa?

When an idea works, I am saddened, but not surprised to see it become commercialized.

It is important to ascertain: Why is this provider offering these therapies? While regenerative cosmetic procedures are possible, be wary of clinics that push it as a trend.

Do some research and decide if the clinic in question seems more concerned with achieving the dynamic of a spa or performing true diagnostic treatments. Make sure they offer additional, customized options to what they are advertising and not just one type of treatment. If the latter, you should have big concerns.

3. Do they really have the proper training and skill for this procedure?

Just because someone is a medical professional does not mean they qualify to perform every type of medical procedure.

While the procedures seem simple, regenerative medicine is a very specialized field. Stem Cell therapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and other regenerative therapies require specific knowledge and skill sets that should be performed by a trained regenerative physician and accompanied by a full physical assessment of the patient.

In my own practice it is very common to get a call from a fairly new nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant asking me to teach them ultrasound and injections. If they do not have a background in orthopedics or are not engaging in deeper training, which may include a full Residency or Fellowship, then I am wary.

4. Are these stem cells vetted for quality, safety, and legality?

One of my biggest areas of concern comes from the number of non-physician providers who are advertising “stem cell therapies.”

Many of these clinics are using umbilical cord derived cells and, often, use them exclusively. While there is some medical benefit to utilizing these products in treating musculoskeletal conditions, a tremendous problem arises. Where do these cells come from? How are they being stored? What is the background of the provider? Are they legal?

These concerns have actually caused me to reconsider treating patients who tell me they have had stem cells at other, un-vetted clinics.
When the patient becomes the practitioner and starts telling me and my staff what they need before we can do a holistic health assessment, I am concerned. If a patient has been to other clinics, and has been injected by people who use processes and products that are unclear, I worry about unrealistic expectations and poor results for that patient. I am concerned about the risk of infection in a patient who “shops around” for injections, having visited and having been treated by multiple “providers” with varying levels of hands-on experience or knowledge of the musculoskeletal system.

My team prides ourselves on providing the best results possible for our patients. I do not want to put my patients’ health or my colleagues at risk.

Conclusion

I have seen countless patients find life-changing pain relief through the innovation of regenerative medicine procedures. It is an incredible and viable option for many.

I would love to hear these questions being asked in my clinics as we continue to strive for transparency and excellence in the field of musculoskeletal diagnostics and regenerative medicine.

To schedule a consultation with Scarpone Sports Regenerative, call 740-424-1426.

4 Surgeries You Can Avoid with the Help of Stem Cells

We’ve been there, too. Injuries, aches, and pains keep us from doing what we love and frustrate us when we imagine what the future holds.

For many joint, tendon, and ligament injuries, surgery seems like the only option, but it’s not! Non-invasive regenerative orthopedic treatments can mean the difference between a life on the sidelines and returning to the life you love.

By having your own stem cells harvested and injected into the affected area, you can accelerate your body’s healing and start to live better. Here are 4 injuries associated with surgery that regenerative medicine can help fix. Do any of these describe you?

Rotator Cuff Surgery

If you experience a dull aching feeling in your shoulder, you might have a rotator cuff injury.

You’ll find your rotator cuff in middle of your shoulder. It’s the group of tendons keeping your shoulder socket and upper arm bone connected to each other. These tendons can weaken over time and eventually tear from repeated overhead motions in a job or sport.

If you prolong your normal activities without seeing a doctor, you’re at risk for a serious tear in need of reattachment surgery and a 12 week recovery.

Instead, consider being evaluated by a doctor knowledgeable in regenerative medicine and skilled at ultrasound guided injection at your earliest signs of rotator cuff pain. A strain or a small tear in your rotator cuff can often be repaired or significantly improved by Prolotherapy , Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) or Bone Marrow procedures! If you wait too long, your tear might be too severe for your cells to repair on their own.

Arthritic Knee Surgeries

Surgeries like cartilage grafting or an osteotomy (cutting part of the femur or tibia to relieve pressure) can be so helpful, but they’re painful, expensive, and involve a lengthy healing process. If arthritis shows up in your knees, get to your regenerative medicine expert quickly!

One study from the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) showed PRP injections caused significant decrease in pain and increased mobility in patients with earlier stages of arthritis. More advanced knee osteoarthritis ( Grade 4 ) may need more advanced procedures such as interosseous treatment with PRP or bone marrow or in some cases, surgery will be the only option.

If you catch this disease early, you can postpone or, in some cases, completely avoid knee replacement. A great orthopaedic Regenerative Medicine doctor can let you know if your arthritis is in a good place for PRP to make a difference.

ACL Surgery

Invasive ligament repair surgeries can knock an athlete off the field for an entire season. Thankfully, partial ACL tears can often be repaired with a series of PRP or stem cell injections and a little physical therapy.

If your ACL is completely torn in half, surgery will be necessary, but PRP can still be used to accelerate the healing process during recovery.

Avascular Necrosis

Avascular Necrosis (AVN) is the death of bone tissue occurring when a bone is cut off from a critical blood supply. Osteoarthritis and further bone degeneration are soon to follow. This often happens in hip joints, particularly the femoral head. Various surgeries including osteotomies and hip replacements can help, but these are trying surgeries with varying results.

The good news is, autologous stem cells and concentrated bone marrow injections have shown promising results in some patients. These procedures have potential to stop AVN in its tracks and improve mobility with a short outpatient procedure instead of a full surgery. As expected, the earlier you catch this disease, the better chance you have of halting its progress.

Conclusion

Rotator cuff injuries, arthritic knees, ACL tears, and avascular necrosis are just a few of the injuries and diseases regenerative medicine can help heal. If you’ve found yourself with one of these debilitating issues, Dr. Michael Scarpone wants to get you back to the life you love! He treats a variety of cases in Steubenville, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.

Is stem cell treatment is right for you? Find out when you call Dr. Michael Scarpone of Next Generation Regenerative Medicine and Trinity Health System at 740-424-1426 to book your consultation today.