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.
