Traditional therapies for degenerative arthritis, sprains and strains, tendonitis and ligament injury of the foot and ankle all have one thing in common. They typically mask pain well, but they do not alter the course of the condition or speed up healing. They do not REPAIR the problem!

Regenerative Medicine with stem cell therapy is rapidly coming to the forefront. The treatments offer the potential to regenerate and repair damaged tissue, while offering pain relief at the same time.

Here is an example. When an athlete sustains an ankle ligament injury, it may take 6-12 weeks to heal. At that point, the athlete can return to competition.

There are two problems with this scenario that stem cell therapy can fix. The first is the time frame. Stem cell therapy may cut the time necessary to heal these injuries by half.

The second problem is that tendon and ligament injuries, when allowed to heal naturally, do not heal back to one hundred percent. With repetitive injury, the chances for it continuing to occur increase. With stem cell therapy, the injury may be able to heal back to 100%.

Regenerative treatments may permit patients to avoid or delay the need for surgery when it comes to Achilles tears, plantar fasciitis, instability, degenerative arthritis, neuropathy and more. Surgery requires considerable rehabilitation and the potential for complications.

With such a low risk, outpatient stem cell procedures offer a tremendous upside. Make your appointment at Extremity Health Centers today!

Amniotic stem cell therapy for foot and ankle problems is showing a lot of promise for patients who suffer from arthritis, tendonitis and ligament injuries. Since the amniotic derived stem cell material is not derived from embryonic stem cells or fetal tissue, there are no ethical issues with the treatment.

The amniotic stem cell treatment consists of an injection to the problematic foot and ankle area. The therapy is designed to actually change the course of the condition and not just mask the pain. This treatment has significant potential for those in pain, and could actually correct structural problems while treating pain and inflammation.

Amniotic derived stem cell material offers three properties that are beneficial to the injured area:
1) A very high concentration of stem cells
2) Anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors
3) Hyaluronic acid which is a great lubricating factor for joints

When the amniotic stem cell therapy is performed, it comes from consenting donors who have undergone elective c-sections. The material is processed at an FDA regulated lab, and is checked for a full slate of diseases. The amniotic material has been used over 20,000 times in the US with no adverse events reported.

During treatment, the stem cell doctor will inject the fluid after sterilizing the area. Along with the amniotic material, numbing medicine is included.

Initial small studies are showing that amniotic stem cell injections work well for the following indications:
1) Tendonitis
2) Ligament Injury
3) Arthritis
4) Sports Medicine Injuries
5) Cartilage Defects

Extremity Health Cneters has several experts in regenerative medicine procedures. Complimentary Consultations Offered. Call the practice for an appointment today!

The bone marrow is the tissue comprising the center of the large bones. It is where new blood cells are produced. Within the bone marrow are two types of stem cells, the hemopoietic cells and the stromal cells. Each type of cells differentiates into certain types of tissues: hemopoietic produces blood cells and stromal produces fat, bone, and cartilage. The stromal stem cells are also called mesenchymal stem cells, with the terms used interchangeably by scientists and researchers.

It is the mesenchymal stem cells that hold the most potential in the treatment of musculoskeletal problems. Because cells of the musculoskeletal system show limited capacity for endogenous repair, it is the mesenchymal cells that hold the key in treating damaged cartilage, bone, intervertebral discs, tendons, ligaments, and other orthopedic applications.

Mesenchymal Cells

Mesenchymal cells are multipotent, meaning that they have the ability to differentiate into a variety of tissues including bone, tendon, organs, and cartilage. The mesenchymal cells are associated with the blood vessels within the bone marrow, fat, muscle, and synovium. These cells are mobilized for repair that occurs for healing of bone fractures, tendon and ligament injury. In normal circumstances, when injury occurs, this stimulation triggers the stem cells to move to that site to begin healing and repair.

Unfortunately, the time frame of healing may take months and lead to incomplete healing. By injecting a concentrated solution of bone marrow derived stem cells directly into the area of injury, the tissue may heal considerably faster. Not only that, it may heal fully as opposed to incomplete healing that is normally seen without the treatment.

In harvesting bone marrow stem cells, the procedure involves mesenchymal cells being harvested from the iliac crest (pelvis). The bone marrow goes directly through a filtration and concentration process, and then is placed directly into the painful area being treated. of the blood into a machine then placing the blood back into the body. The procedure takes about half an hour, with numbing medicine being applied to significantly minimize discomfort. Sedation may be utilized as well.

Why Use Bone Marrow Derived Stem Cell Injections?

Tissues such as muscle, ligaments, tendon, cartilage, and vertebral discs show limited capacity for endogenous repair, unlike bone. This is the main reason why the push for bone marrow derived stem cell injections exists. This therapy is being developed to improve the efficiency of repair and/or regeneration of damaged musculoskeletal tissue. The target is to introduce growth factors and stem cells into the affected tissues to promote regeneration of the affected area.

The Bottom Line

Bone marrow derived stem cell injection therapy is in the early stages, with initial results showing extreme promise in small studies. Numerous professional and amateur athletes have had stem cell procedures performed, which can help them get back to a high level of activity faster.

For those individuals suffering from degenerative arthritis, tendonitis of the shoulder, achilles, elbow or ligament injury, bone marrow stem cell injections are a low risk, outpatient way of potentially repairing damage and providing pain relief at the same time!

There are several animal models providing proof-of-concept clinical data, and these demonstrate how future similar methods can be used to treat humans with osteoarthritis, bone defects, spinal injuries, and nonunion fractures. New studies coming out recently have looked at bone marrow derived stem cells for use in the intervertebral disc, knee tissue regeneration, rotator cuff treatments and more. It is a truly exciting time!

Extremity Health Centers is at the forefront of regenerative medicine treatments with stem cells. Your feet will be in good hands!

The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy within the clinic setting for foot and ankle disorders is becoming a common method of treatment. This is due to the fact that PRP offers many benefits. Those working with PRP for clinical purposes have stated that it offers a high-level of success, and there are significant opportunities for patients who undergo this form of therapy.

While this form of therapy was first created in the early 1970s, it has advanced over the past several years, and now, it is commonly used. For patients who are looking for a treatment method that not only helps to relieve pain, but also helps to heal damage, PRP can lead to long-term success.

How is PRP being used for Foot and Ankle?

When there is injury to one of the soft tissues, ligaments, or muscles within the body, the body sends what is known as platelets to the damaged area. When the platelets reach the damaged area, they work to repair the structure and regenerate new cells within it. While the body performs this task on its own, it can occur at a much faster rate when PRP is applied to the area in its compressed form.

Studies being done on PRP in orthopedics have shown that this type of therapy can be beneficial in many body regions for the patient, especially when the platelets are placed correctly within the areas that need to be treated. While the effectiveness of this form of therapy is well-known, PRP use in orthopedics is still being questioned. While it can be useful in certain areas, such as repairing, it may cause clotting to occur, which can take away from the overall effectiveness of the therapy by causing issues within another area of orthopedics.

About the Repair Response

There are several cells that become inflamed within the body, which leads to further damage within the different areas of the musculoskeletal system. When damage occurs, the body forms blood clots in its defense, and when the clots form, it can be difficult for the platelets needed to get through.

While the platelets are responsible for healing the damage, it can take a long time to heal if they are blocked, which is the main cause of healing problems. This leads to the need for surgical methods for correction. By injecting the platelets directly into the area, the blocking will be avoided, and the platelets will begin the healing process.

Questions about PRP in Orthopedics

While PRP therapy has shown to be effective, it is not appropriate for use in all patients. Prior to using this form of therapy, the patient’s case must be evaluated, and the therapy benefits must be weighed with the pros against the cons. For patients who do make good candidates for the therapy, PRP therapy can be extremely effective in offering pain relief, and also providing long-term healing, which could lead to successful recovery.

End Results of PRP

For those suffering with issues with soft tissue injuries to tendons or ligaments, cartilage defects or degenerative arthritis, PRP therapy can be effective for treating these problems.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy at Extremity Health Centers is provided by the top foot and ankle doctors in Phoenix and Scottsdale. They have extensive experience with regenerative medicine including PRP therapy, make your appointment today!