Bridging the Gap: The Power of Natural Regenerative Treatments for Orthopedics Instead of Surgery

The aging process is inevitable and today people are looking for non-surgical, non-medicinal treatment options to heal and repair damaged tissue that is safe and increases the speed of healing with little to no downtime.

The baby boomer II and Gen X generations (ages 42-67) are especially interested in staying healthy and active as they age. These people are looking for treatments that will allow for quick and natural healing so they can get back to doing the things they love as soon as possible. 

Typically, if a 40–50-year-old person sees their primary care provider for knee pain they will be referred to an orthopedic provider who will recommend physical therapy, steroid injection, or surgery depending on the situation. Physical therapy can be very helpful in strengthening the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the knee, but will not improve symptoms of pain and inflammation related to osteoarthritis or damage inside the joint. Steroid injections are inexpensive and temporarily improve pain and inflammation, but can lead to further degeneration of the joint and tissue. Surgery may be necessary for structural problems, but many people are concerned about the potentially serious complications, downtime, and expense of surgery. Medications can cause serious side effects and dependency.

Regenerative treatments can stimulate the body’s healing response releasing growth factors and cytokines necessary for healing. It is a known fact that as we age the demand for tissue healing and repair increases, while our bodies’ ability to repair damaged tissue decreases. This is where regenerative treatments can be helpful because they provide the “tools” that stimulate the body’s natural healing response. Some examples of locally offered regenerative treatments include Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), Amniotic Products, and non-invasive Focus Shockwave.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatments have grown in popularity not only for professional athletes but also for the average weekend warriors. PRP comes from a person’s blood so it is safe and decreases the risk of an adverse reaction. Blood is drawn from a person’s arm like a regular lab draw using sterile equipment specially designed to concentrate the platelets in the blood. Platelets contain growth factors and cytokines and when injected into skin or tissue it immediately activates the body’s natural healing response. The effectiveness of the treatment depends on the type of equipment used to make PRP, the injection technique (ultrasound-guided is best for orthopedic conditions), and the body’s healing response. Platelet-rich plasma treatments work best in younger healthy people with minimal tissue damage.

“PRP Regeneration Specialists helped me bridge the gap between cortisone shots and surgery. Neither of which I wanted to do. Their Shockwave and PRP treatments helped take my shoulder's labral tears and bursitis from 65% to over 90% usage. Thanks to them I am ready to start playing pickleball again without having surgery. A very inviting environment with a super professional and knowledgeable team.”

Amniotic products are showing promising results for older adults with moderate to severe tissue damage or arthritis. Umbilical cord products such as Purified Amniotic Fluid and Wharton’s Jelly Matrix/Cellular contain powerful biologic signaling cells that can rapidly decrease inflammation and pain while stimulating tissue healing and repair with little downtime compared to surgery. These products are made from the umbilical cord donated from healthy C-section births in the US. Although these treatments are considered investigational and not FDA-approved, they are regulated and manufactured in FDA-compliant facilities that follow Good Manufacturing Practices.

Focus Shockwave is a safe, non-invasive treatment that improves tightness and pain related to tissue damage (muscle, tendons, ligaments). This powerful focused magnetic energy device can locate the source of the pain and stimulate natural healing immediately. Most people notice a decrease in pain by 50% or more with the first treatment.

Focus shockwave treatments can be very effective alone or in combination with regenerative injections to reduce pain and improve function so people can get back to living their best life.

To learn more about these exciting treatment options, contact our office today to schedule a personalized consultation!