Joint and soft tissue restoration is an alternative treatment for arthritic or injured joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, or discs.  Biological joint restoration procedures can be successful in curbing pain and reducing the likelihood of surgical treatment.  Joint restorative procedures include stem cell therapy, platelet rich plasma therapy, prolotherapy, and viscosupplementation therapy.  

Stem Cell Therapy

 Stem cell therapy represents the latest cutting edge technology for joint, muscle, and  ligament restoration. Stem cells are cells that have the potential to become other more  specific cells in the body. Application of these cells into a joint or soft tissue  give them the  potential to become cells related to the damaged joint or soft tissue.  This  can reduce pain  and counter the destructive process within the joint and have a  healing and regenerative  capacity.

 Stem cells can be obtained from your own body or from fetal amniotic tissue.  Stem cells can  be harvested from your own bone marrow or from your fat.  Once harvested, the tissue is  processed and centrifuged to isolate your own stem cells.  On the other hand, stem cells can  also be derived from amniotic tissue.  These have been shown to be safe and have similar  biological properties.  For amniotic stem cells, no harvest procedure is necessary.  Stem cells  have the potential to differentiate (turn into) cartilage, muscle, bone, and ligament cells  amongst others.

 Stem cell therapy can be used for treatment of arthritis, ligament injuries, tendonitis, back  pain, knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, whiplash injuries, tennis elbow, rotator  cuff disease, patellar tendinitis, Achillies tendinitis, biceps tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and many other conditions.  

Platelet Rich Plasma

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is the utilization of highly concentrated platelet cells to help heal musculoskeletal diseases and injuries.  When this is an injury to the body, one of the first responders are platelets.  These platelets are loaded with growth factors that help stimulate the healing process and that recruit other cells to help heal the damaged structure.  PRP is derived from drawing your own blood, processing the blood in a centrifuge, and isolating the platelet layer of the blood.  Once this is isolated, these highly concentrated platelets can be injected into joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments to promote the healing process.  PRP can be used for treatment of arthritis, ligament injuries, tendonitis, back pain, knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, whiplash injuries, tennis elbow, rotator cuff disease, patellar tendinitis, Achillies tendinitis, biceps tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and many other conditions.  

 Prolotherapy

 Prolotherapy (“Proliferation Therapy”) is the use of injected dextrose to act as an irritant to damaged tissue.  Once this dextrose solution is injected  into a damaged area, it “irritates” the injured tissue, triggering a healing response in the tissue.  This can potentially help heal chronically damaged or  injured soft tissue.  Prolotherapy can be used for treatment of arthritis, ligament injuries, tendonitis, back pain, knee pain, hip pain, shoulder pain,  elbow pain, whiplash injuries, tennis elbow, rotator cuff disease, patellar tendinitis, Achillies tendinitis, biceps tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, degenerative  disc disease, spinal stenosis, and many other conditions.  

Viscosupplementation Therapy

Viscosupplementation therapy is the injection of hyaluronate, a molecule naturally found in joint lubricant and in cartilage.  This treatment involves the injection of a jelly-like material in the knee to help lubricate and cushion the joint to reduce joint arthritis symptoms.  Viscosupplemenation is primarily injected into arthritis knees, but can also be used for hip and shoulder arthritis as well.