Repair knees without surgery

I’m not a big basketball fan. But my son is. So we’ll watch a game together every now and then, [Click here](1770d7/ct0_0/1/ms?sid=TV2%3AMtPJ6isis) to view this message in your browser | [Click here](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3AMtPJ6isis) to stop receiving our messages [] [] Al Sears, MD 11905 Southern Blvd. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 [] June 1, 2023 [] Reader, I’m not a big basketball fan. But my son is. So we’ll watch a game together every now and then, especially during the playoffs. And since my “hometown” team, the Miami Heat, defeated the Boston Celtics, of course, we’ll be tuning into the first game of the finals tonight! I’m always excited to watch pro athletes in action. Watching their power, agility, and speed amazes me. So when I saw Kawhi Leonard tear his meniscus in Game 1 of the playoffs but continue to play through his injury in Game 2 – scoring an incredible 31 points in 39 minutes – I was impressed. But it was disheartening to hear so many people suggest that the 31-year-old – who has been called one of the best offensive and defensive players in the world – should retire because of his injury. And that his only option for a full recovery is surgery. As a regenerative medicine doctor, this bothers me. I see this type of injury a lot in my older patients. Sometimes it’s from a sports injury. But more often, a sudden turn, lifting something too heavy, or squatting has caused the damage. My patients are frustrated. And they’re in pain. They want to get back to the sports they love, usually golf or tennis, and, nowadays, pickleball. Sometimes, they’ll go to see an orthopedic surgeon before coming to see me. They’ve been conditioned to think surgery is their only option. And those surgeons almost always say the same thing... That they NEED surgery. I view any surgery as a last resort. But this surgery comes with a special set of problems. First of all, this operation doesn’t repair ripped cartilage. It just removes the torn pieces. Second, this operation leaves you with an 80-100% risk of developing osteoarthritis.1 Third, it increases your odds of needing a total knee replacement three-fold.2 Fourth, new research found that fewer than 15% of patients who had the surgery felt better immediately after the operation. Finally, less than 2.4% said they felt any pain relief after six months.3 I help my patients get back on the golf course or tennis court using regenerative treatments that harness the healing power of their bodies... Like stem cell therapy. By now, you’re probably familiar with stem cells. They’re your body’s stockpile of immature cells that have the ability to develop into almost any type of cell within our body — whether it’s a heart cell, a blood cell, or a cartilage cell. At the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine, we introduce stem cells into a damaged area. This stimulates the production of new cells, reduces inflammation, and kick-starts the healing process. Study results back up the success we’ve seen in my practice: - In 2020, researchers followed 60 patients with chronic knee pain due to meniscal tears. Half received stem cell therapy, while the other half had hyaluronic acid injections. After six months, those who had stem cell therapy reported a pain reduction of 40% and a functional improvement of 39.2%. The control group had an average pain reduction of just 14%.4 - Another study, published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022, looked at the use of bone marrow-derived stem cells for meniscus repair in 55 patients. The researchers found that the stem cell treatment led to significant improvements in pain, function, and quality of life. MRI scans showed evidence of meniscus healing in 78% of patients.5 - And a third study showed that stem cells could regenerate meniscus tissue and stimulate healing - even in patients who had already undergone surgery.6 Stem cell therapy even works well in so-called “white zones,” which are areas that typically don’t heal well. The results are even more dramatic when you combine it with [enhanced PRP.](1770d7/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AMtPJ6isis) PRP consists of drawing a tiny amount of blood and spinning it through a centrifuge. This separates out red blood cells and leaves behind plasma with a high concentration of platelets. The platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the damaged portion of the tendon areas. A recent study showed that PRP provides pain relief, stops the progression of meniscal damage, and regenerates tissue.7 Studies show it’s effective for arthritis… inflamed tendons… torn muscles… injured ligaments… knee osteoarthritis… damaged joint cartilage… and torn rotator cuffs. You’ll start to see results from this minimally invasive therapy in as little as two to four weeks. Are you ready to get back in action – without pain? Both stem cell therapy and PRP are same-day procedures that take only a few hours. My patients at the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine report little to no discomfort. If you’re interested in using stem cells and PRP therapy to get you up and moving again, please call my office at 561-784-7852. My staff would be happy to schedule your appointment. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS --------------------------------------------------------------- References: 1. Englund M, et al. “Evidence that meniscus damage may be a component of osteoarthritis: the Framingham study.” Osteoarth Cartil. 2016 Feb;24(2):270-3. 2. Rongen JJ, et al. “Increased risk for knee replacement surgery after arthroscopic surgery for degenerative meniscal tears: a multi-center longitudinal observational study using data from the osteoarthritis initiative.” Osteoarth Cartil. 2017 Jan;25(1):23-29. 3. Reed AC, et al. “Arthroscopic surgery for degenerative knee arthritis and meniscal tears: a clinical practice guideline.” BMJ. 2017 May 11;357. 4. Prodromos C, et al. “Autologous mesenchymal stem cell treatment is consistently effective for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: the results of a systematic review of treatment and comparison to a placebo group.” [Medicines (Basel).](1770d7/ct2_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AMtPJ6isis) 2020 Aug;7(8): 42. 5. Centeno CJ, et al. “Efficacy of autologous bone marrow concentrate for knee osteoarthritis with and without adipose graft.” Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(14):3388-3399. 6. Seol D, Zhou C, et al. “Characteristics of meniscus progenitor cells migrated from injured meniscus.” J Orthop Res. 2016 Nov 3. 7. Blanke F, et al. “Percutaneous injections of Platelet rich plasma for treatment of intrasubstance meniscal lesions.” Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2015 Oct 20;5(3):162-166. alsearsmd@send.alsearsmd.com [Preferences | Unsubscribe](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3AMtPJ6isis) 11905 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411, United States