How Can Regenerative Medicine Help Orthopedic Medicine?

Imagine this. You’re playing doubles tennis with your partner and friends. You hit a fiery backhand cross court and quickly pivot after a good save by the opponent, only to hear a “POP” in your knee. Oh no, the next thing you know your leg doesn’t bend or move the way you want it to, and the pain starts.  You’ve just experienced an ACL tear. Which if you’re over the age of 35 can take anywhere from 6-9 months of intensive recovery to heal, after an invasive surgery. However, what if you could potentially shorten this recovery time? Well, this might be much closer to reality than you imagine thanks to regenerative medicine.  Learn how Regenerative medicine can help Orthopedic medicine. 

This rapidly growing field is revolutionizing many aspects of orthopedic medicine and is quickly becoming one of the focus fields where tissue allograft therapy is producing life-changing healing for many patients. 

Today we’re going to dive into how regenerative medicine is helping the field of orthopedics, and why it’s important you know this is an option for you!

What Is Orthopedic Medicine?

In case you’re unfamiliar, orthopedic medicine is the focus of treating diseases and injuries to the musculoskeletal system which include: 

  • Bones
  • Joints
  • Tendons
  • Ligaments
  • Muscles
  • Cartilage

With that being said, an orthopedist will typically help with the following musculoskeletal conditions: 

  • Achilles Tendon Tears
  • Ankle Cartilage Lesions
  • Tendinitis or Bursitis
  • Elbow Strains or Sprains (like tennis elbow or jumpers knee)
  • Hip Impingement Syndrome
  • Labral Tears
  • Cartilage injuries
  • Meniscus Tears
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Rotator Cuff Tears
  • And Much More…

Now the question becomes where is regenerative medicine helping provide healing? 

Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine

Regenerative medicine is focused on developing and applying new treatments to heal tissues and organs and restore function lost due to aging, disease, or trauma.

The primary goal of regenerative medicine is to help produce healing from within, leveraging the body’s natural functions for healing instead of more traditional approaches which include replacement of tendons or ligaments when injured. 

How does Regenerative Medicine Help Orthopedic medicine?

The traditional approach to orthopedic healing focuses on solving the symptoms of an injury or disease, not at healing the body. 

This isn’t inherently a wrong thing, however there are additional approaches to healing which can promote better outcomes for the patient. 

The question becomes, how can regenerative medicine provide healing for patients experiencing musculoskeletal injuries? 

Well, this is typically accomplished by two factors:

  1. Reduction In Inflammation

    Almost immediately after any injury, your body will begin to signal the production of cytokines to the injured site which in turn produce inflammation. Now, in the context of a musculoskeletal injury, this inflammation will begin the formation of scar tissue at the injured site. This inflammation can also prevent real healing from occurring because it’s not until the reduction in inflammation where the body will begin the rebuilding process. With the introduction of tissue allografts to the damaged tissue site, the body could naturally down regulate inflammation which would help signal a need for regeneration.

  2. Paracrine Signaling

    The next interesting effect of tissue allograft therapy is the occurrence of paracrine signaling. Basically when tissue allografts are introduced to damaged tissue, there’s a communication process which occurs between the cells to help signal that repair is now needed. 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, regenerative medicine offers exciting possibilities for revolutionizing orthopedic medicine. By using the body’s own natural healing mechanisms, we can potentially repair and regenerate damaged tissues and joints, offering safer, more effective, and longer-lasting treatments. With ongoing research and development in this field, we can look forward to even more innovative approaches and treatments for orthopedic conditions. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does regenerative medicine work on joints?

Yes, there has been good evidence of regenerative medicine providing therapeutic relief for joint injuries. 

How long does it take for regenerative therapy to work?

It normally takes a few weeks to months before a patient will notice improvement in their injury after treatment.

What is the success rate of regenerative medicine?

We typically see a high success rate, but this entirely depends on the nature of the injury and your specific situation.