Stem Cell Therapy for Knee Pain

Conditions Treated

Knee osteoarthritis (mild to severe), meniscus tears, articular cartilage defects, chronic knee pain after previous surgery, patients wanting to avoid or delay total knee replacement

How It Works

Autologous stem cells are harvested from your bone marrow or adipose tissue and concentrated. Under ultrasound guidance, the regenerative cell concentrate is injected directly into the knee joint, targeting areas of cartilage loss and inflammation. PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is often combined with stem cells to amplify the healing response.

What to Expect

90-120 minute procedure. Performed in our clinic under local anesthesia. You will walk out the same day. Crutches or a brace may be recommended for the first few days. Expect swelling and mild discomfort for 1-2 weeks as the healing cascade activates.

Recovery

Limited weight-bearing for 3-5 days. Gradual return to walking and daily activities over 2-4 weeks. Return to full activity at 6-12 weeks. Physical therapy is strongly recommended to optimize outcomes.

Duration of Relief

How much a knee improves depends on the grade of arthritis, your weight-bearing demands and what the joint already looked like on imaging, so we talk through your own films at the consultation.

References

Clinical sources for this page.

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves First Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy to Treat Steroid-Refractory Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Immediate release, December 18, 2024. Back to first citation ↑