Knee Pain and Arthritis Treatment with Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Therapy

Knee pain is most commonly due to degenerative arthritis. Just less than 50% of adults over 65 have degenerative arthritis.

The use of Regenerative Medicine procedures such as Stem Cell Therapy and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) are finding a role in this common problem.

Traditional treatment measures such as anti-inflammatory arthritis medications have not been shown to deter the arthritis degenerative process. Joint injections with cortisone or lubricants also have not been able to show the long term benefits on arresting the development of degenerative arthritis. The knee is the most frequent joint encountered. Unsurprisingly, the number of total joint surgeries performed has the highest frequency for total knee joint replacement.

Stem Cell Therapy and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) are not only of interest to a wide variety of clinical trials, there use as well as in a spectrum of Regenerative and Tissue Engineering applications is being considered.

Currently, using adult autologous stem cells (the patient’s own) is considered the accepted standard in the United States.

It is not uncommon for both knees to be affected with degenerative arthritis. Women have smaller joint surface area than men, and thus biomechanical forces are more directed and overload the joint in women greater as weight gain occurs. The addition of multiple joints on one extremity such as the hip and knee are not infrequent, especially if prior trauma occurred.

Dennis M. Lox, MD, is an expert in Sports and Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Lox has utilized Stem Cell   Therapy and PRP for a variety of knee problems. Arthritis is a frequent finding after trauma and surgery. Some patients even get worse after surgery. Dr. Lox has experience treating all levels of knee arthritis, including professional athletes who failed to improve after knee surgery. It is at this point when a successful outcome with Stem Cell Therapy can be truly rewarding.