Clearwater, FL - (727) 462-5582
Beverly Hills, CA - (310) 975-7033

Airline Pilot has Knee Stem Cells With Dr. Lox, Still Flying to China

pilot looking for knee stem cells

Dennis Lox M.D. has treated many airline pilots in his career, from ex-military jet pilots, private jet pilots, commercial airline pilots, and helicopters pilots. This particular pilot was a 60-year-old, major commercial airline pilot with knee pain. He flew long overseas routes. Generally, they were from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to China and Japan.

He was having knee pain from degenerative knee arthritis. This is often due to a variety of factors. The pilot played many sports, and still was an avid athlete. Skiing the slopes of Colorado was a passion of his.

However, his career as a pilot and his passion for skiing were seemingly aggravating his knee. He decided to treat with Dr. Lox, and have Knee Stem Cell Therapy, after hearing about Dr. Lox from other patients who had successful knee stem cell therapy.

knee pain from osteoarthritis

Long Hours and Knee Pain

What a lot of patients complain about, and few doctors ask or listen to carefully is, what concerns them the most. Yet, this is so important, after all, it is their lives. More specifically their quality of life, that brings them to the doctor in the first place.

Unfortunately, this de-personalized approach to patient care is all too common.  Long hours often leads to immobility stiffness in degenerative osteoarthritis or referred to as simply arthritis in the joints. Long hours in the car, a plane, or in this case flying a commercial airplane as a pilot can do this. Imagine being the pilot on long overseas routes 16-18 hours long, this will create the same effect as immobility from sleeping, and then some. 

What happens is, the lack of motion creates stiffness in the joint, like a car that is cold in the morning, you have got to warm the engine up, before it is ready to get going. Patients often note they wake up frequently at night due to knee pain. This can happen as well in many other joints, including the hip or spine. These are often the most frequently cited joints with morning stiffness.  A hot shower, and getting moving helps loosen them up, and frequently a few they are ready to go. Often there is no pain a few hours later.

toss and turning at night while sleeping
Why do we toss and turn at night while sleeping?

Sleep Deprivation and Joint or Knee Pain

Often this leads to a vicious cycle of poor sleep. Over time, non-restorative sleep leads to fatigue, feeling mentally foggy, and can often heighten pain complaints. Think about it this way, if you have a headache it hurts. If you have a headache and didn’t sleep the night before, it is more difficult to deal with. This is because you are tired, easily aggravated, and run down. The headache is overall worse because you are mentally not up for it. As we age we don’t want to pull all-nighters cramming for exams, and heaven forbid party all night and work the next day. These people wish for a good nights sleep, yet it never comes, because the doctor never asks, or doesn’t hear you when you say it. Unintentionally ignoring an important quality of life is an issue for the patient. This needs to be addressed by further questioning and making good recommendations to help with sleep problems. Lastly, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to depression. Patients who are depressed, again a have a harder time with pain as it is magnified. The mind-body connection is very powerful. This is a book in itself. At minimum a book chapter. Dr. Lox has edited 2 medical textbooks, and written 8 medical textbook chapters, numerous scientific articles, and abstracts, and is well versed in all these areas.

Activity and Knee Pain

This is another difficult subject to tackle. Briefly, overactivity of the arthritic knee can accelerate degenerative wear. This can lead to knee swelling, irritation of the knee lining, or synovium creating a swirling event of chemical cell signaling messages called cytokines, which propel the knee forward on its downward progression of arthritis. Degenerative arthritis is progressive by nature. The trick is to slow it down. Patients are told to exercise, yet, given no clear information on what to do by an expert in dealing with knee arthritis, Regenerative Medicine, and exercise prescription. Too much exercise can be bad, too little, and the old adage “if you don’t use it, you lose it” applies. This is not what a patient is supposed to figure out. It is for the experienced physician to guide the patient. Here lies the problem, often the patient is in the wrong doctor’s office. There is no easy road map to figure it out. It used to be your family doctor that helped refer you to a specialist. Then the internet arrived. Now we have Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. Now Google search engines are driven by pay per click advertisements at top. The organic listings with the most credible material should be at the top. Not always. Google’s ever-changing algorithms are secret. Have a discerning eye when researching. It is important to exercise the right way for your condition, however, not everyone’s condition is the same. A problem ensues using a global approach to an individual problem. It must be personalized for the patient.

The Pilot

image of cockpit with pilot with knee pain

2 years after his knee stem cell therapy with Dr. Lox, he is happy, with no nagging knee pain. Functionally as a unique individual person, he is still flying as a pilot. These again are long overseas commercial airline flights to China and Japan from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), from his home in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. He still is an avid skier, yet heeding to Dr. Lox’s advice “don’t fall, and be more cautious.” Skiing is a hazardous sport to the knee. He has done remarkably well, let’s keep it that way. Dr. Lox tailored his Regenerative Medicine approach to the pilot’s specific problems and his needs. That is the best way for lasting success.

Dennis M. Lox M.D. practices Sports and Regenerative Medicine in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, and in Beverly Hills, California.

CONTACT US:

Tampa Bay Metropolitan Area, Florida 727-462-5582

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, Beverly Hills, California 310-975-7033


Dr. Lox

Whether you are a professional athlete, weekend warrior, or have arthritis from aging, Dr. Lox can help. Dennis M. Lox, M.D. is an internationally renown Sports and Regenerative Medicine specialist. Dr. Lox incorporates Regenerative Medicine techniques such as cell science applications, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and Tissue Engineering aspects, to help patients from around the world with a vast array of problems. Dr. Lox is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Lox lectures extensively and has edited two PM&R textbooks, the prestigious A State of the Art Review (Star) on Low Back Pain, and Soft Tissue Injuries: Diagnosis and Treatment. Dennis M. Lox, M.D. maintains an active practice in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, and in Beverly Hills, California.

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Stem Cell Therapy in Clearwater, FL and Beverly Hills, CA

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Clearwater, Florida Office

2030 Drew St.
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 462-5582

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450 N Roxbury Dr. #602
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 975-7033

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