The knee is one of the most used and abused parts of the body, placing it at increased risk of arthritis. Osteoarthritis in particular is the most common form of knee arthritis that can cause incredible pain and loss of motion over the years. Whether you are in the beginning or later stages of coping with osteoarthritis, you should know that you may have an alternative to surgery that can help you regain your strength, comfort, and quality of life.

A Bit About Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive degenerative disease that causes the cartilage in the joint to slowly wear away. Without cartilage serving as a buffer, bones start to harden in some areas and soften in others, causing angular joint deformity. Overall, OA leads to chronic pain, discomfort, and loss of motion. Until regenerative medicine therapy became a reality, OA patients had few options to truly heal. Standard treatment included anti-inflammatory pills, injections of cortisone and lubricating formulas to temporarily relieve the pain, and ultimately knee replacement surgery. But now, stem cells have made it possible to relieve OA without any knee surgery at all!

Stem Cells and PRP Achieve Cartilage Regeneration

Stem cells are now being used to simulate actual cartilage regeneration, offering those with arthritis a way to not just alleviate pain but actually achieve long-term healing. This is possible because undifferentiated stem cells can be used to develop into cartilage tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are particularly effective for regenerating cartilage. When MSCs are injected into the knee, they attach to the site of damage and begin to change into chondrocytes, which are the cells that create cartilage. As more stem cells transform into cartilage tissue, the knee undergoes healing and repair that has never been possible before.

If knee arthritis is making your life painful and difficult, speak with an orthopedic surgeon to find out more about how stem cells can help you heal without any need for surgery.