Stem Cell Therapy for Knee OA: How Often Should I Have Injections?

You’ve tried activity modification.

You’ve tried braces.

You’ve tried cortisone shots and over-the-counter pain relievers.

Nothing is working, at least not for any length of time. The osteoarthritis in your knee just keeps getting more and more painful.

And then you hear about stem cell therapy, and you want to try it. But you don’t want to keep getting injections over and over.

Here at PRO Institute, stem cell therapy is one of our specialties. Here’s what we tell patients about how often you should have injections.

What is stem cell therapy?

Stem cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine designed to harness the powerful natural healing mechanisms of your own body. We harvest stem cells from adipose (fat) cells elsewhere on your body or from your bone marrow (usually from one of your pelvic bones).

 We use a centrifuge to concentrate the stem cells and platelets, and then we use ultrasound guidance to inject the collected cells into your body at the site of the injury.

In this case, we’ll inject the cells into your knee, where they’ll activate your body’s own healing process to repair the damaged cartilage in your knee and even begin to generate new cartilage cells.

How often will I need injections?

Over the next days, weeks, and months, the stem cells will continue this healing process. You should experience less pain and improved functioning of your knee and the musculoskeletal system surrounding your knee.

There’s no set answer as to how often you’ll need stem cell injections. Your treatment is based on the progress you make. Dr. Gayan Poovendran will evaluate your condition during checkups and will determine if or when to schedule your next injection.

For instance, if you’re an older person who isn’t very active, you may experience long-lasting relief and never need another treatment. If you’re a young, high-level athlete or if you work a physically demanding job where you’re on your feet all day, you’ll likely need more treatments.

Some studies have shown that stem cell treatments continue to help your knees improve months and even years after your initial injections, so you can anticipate long-lasting results.

If you’d like to find out more about how stem cell therapy may work to treat your osteoarthritis, our team at PRO Institute is here to help. To set up a consultation, call our Davie, Florida, office or schedule a convenient time with our online appointment request option.