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Stem Cell Therapy (with patients' own stem cells)
Stem cell therapy is one of several amazing medical technologies that use the healing power of one's own body to repair itself.
This state-of-the-art regenerative treatment has become successful non-surgical options for our patients suffering from a number of painful foot and ankle conditions.
Stem cell injections may be used to successfully treat patients with degenerative arthritis, tendon, and ligament damage. The injections can offer pain relief and prompt tissue regeneration.
- How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
- Is Traditional Stem Cell Therapy Right for You?
- Frequently Asked Questions about Stem Cell Therapy
- Q: I would like to know how long should one rest after stem cell injection for plantar fasciitis. Can I resume my daily walking routine immediately?
- Q: I have been suffering from Achilles tendonosis for months and PT and other conservative treatments aren’t working. I’m in interested in stem cell therapy but would like to know how many injections are usually needed?
How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
The procedure is virtually pain-free as our doctors first acquire some of the patient’s own stem cells by collecting a blood sample from a selected part of the body. The procedure allows our doctors to customize the stem cell specimens for your particular injury.
This blood contains a very high concentration of stem cells and using a special procedure, unhelpful cells are removed, leaving only the powerful healing “stem cells.”
The patient's own stem cells are then injected into the injured area of the foot or ankle, where they almost immediately begin to multiply and flourish. Stem cells have been found to replicate themselves and nearby cells begin to mimic them making healing possible and producing an anti-inflammatory effect that can help reduce pain. Additionally, stem cell injections contain hyaluronic acid, which lubricates joints and tendons, easing pain and helping restore mobility. The University Foot and Ankle Institute stem cell treatment is well tolerated, many patients claim it is not painful at all.
Is Traditional Stem Cell Therapy Right for You?
At UFAI we firmly believe most conditions should initially be treated non-surgically and with minimally invasive techniques. These “conservative treatments” typically deliver excellent results over 80% of the time. This conservative care approach is also considered the most cost-effective for the patient as well.
Occasionally, when conservative treatments do not work as well expected, other advanced non-invasive treatments become necessary. Regenerative treatments such as stem cell therapy, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) or Prolotherapy (a type of treatment depends on the nature of your injury) are exceptional options offered by the University Foot and Ankle Institute.
Our physicians have decades of combined experience using regenerative medicine and internationally recognized experts in its use to treat foot and ankle conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions about Stem Cell Therapy
Q: I would like to know how long should one rest after stem cell injection for plantar fasciitis. Can I resume my daily walking routine immediately?
A: Usually we use a boot to rest the area and allow healing for 2 weeks. After the rest period, a slow return to activity can resume over the next two weeks.
Q: I have been suffering from Achilles tendonosis for months and PT and other conservative treatments aren’t working. I’m in interested in stem cell therapy but would like to know how many injections are usually needed?
A: Like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Therapy, stem cell therapy usually requires two injections.
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Foot and Ankle Surgeon and Director of University Foot and Ankle Institute
Dr. Bob Baravaria DPM, FACFAS is a Board-Certified Podiatric Foot and Ankle Specialist. He is an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA School of Medicine and serves as Director of University Foot and Ankle Institute.
Dr. Baravarian has been involved in athletics his entire life and played competitive tennis in high school and college. He has an interest in sports medicine, arthritis therapy, and trauma/reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle. He is also fluent in five languages (English, French, Spanish, Farsi, and Hebrew),
Stem Cell Therapy articles from Our Blog
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