Tendons are rope-like fibers that connect your muscles to your bones. This means many injuries happen near joints, and most frequently at the shoulder, elbow, ankle and knee. However, other tendons are prone to injury, too. Your Achilles tendon and the tendons in your wrists are common problem areas.
Some tendon injuries may suddenly occur, but many are caused by age-related damage. This damage is the accumulation of tiny tears and strains. Surgery may be needed in the immediate aftermath of an injury, especially if the use of the limb or joint is in jeopardy. However, stem cell therapy can work with non-critical injuries and alongside traditional treatments to speed healing and prevent reinjury.
What Are Typical Tendon Injuries?
Tendon injuries are classified according to the degree of tissue damage. A case of tendonitis is simply an irritated, inflamed tendon. It should not be ignored, since it could lead to further injury. Tendinosis is tiny tears of the tendon or surrounding tissue. This shows a tendon at risk of acute injury. A tendon tear is a partial or complete severing of the tendon, either along the tendon itself, or when it rips completely away from the bone. Complete tendon tears are extremely painful and usually require surgery to repair.
How Can Stem Cell Therapy Help?
Stem cell therapy is a regenerative form of medicine. This means it stimulates the body to heal itself. Stem cells are “blank” cells that promote the repair of injured tissues. The stem cells used to repair your tendons come from your own bone marrow or fatty tissues. After filtering and further preparation, the stem cells are injected into the injury site. These cells quickly get to work repairing tendon tissue, reducing inflammation and speeding up healing.
The added benefits of stem cell regenerative therapy are it can be completed in a single office visit, and it is far less invasive than any type of surgical tendon repair.
If you have tendon pain or injury, stem cell therapy may be a way to repair the tissues and relieve your pain. Contact Dr. Steve Struhl at Regenerative Orthopaedics today to schedule your consultation.