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How Stem Cell Therapy Can Get You Back in the Game

Whether you’re a professional or an amateur, a sports injury can sideline you from participating in your favorite physical activity. Unfortunately, traditional treatments for sports injuries can require extensive recovery time, including rest, surgical intervention, and rehabilitation, which can keep you out of the game for an extended period of time. From bone breaks to post-injury arthritis, sports injuries can take a long time to heal, or never heal at all.

Fortunately, an innovative regenerative treatment known as stem cell therapy provides patients with an alternative to conventional techniques that helps improve healing outcomes and gets you back in the game in less time.

Even injuries that require minimally invasive surgery need ample recovery time in order for athletes to fully heal and reduce the risk of recurrent injury. Following minor surgery, the recovery process will vary for each individual but it usually includes limited movement, bracing, and/or physical therapy.

For athletes, this loss of active playtime is particularly difficult for athletes who have reached their peak performance as they must pause their athletic careers to simply heal. However, with the use of regenerative therapy techniques, post-surgical patients enjoy faster recovery times and for some, surgical intervention can sometimes be avoided altogether.

What Is Stem Cell Therapy?

While stem cells exist in all of our tissues, certain areas like bone marrow and fat contain an abundance of these regenerative cells. In autologous adult stem cell therapy, regenerative cells are extracted from the bone marrow or fat and injected into areas of injury or degeneration to reduce inflammation and promote regeneration and healing.

Scientists believe that stem cells work in this capacity by migrating to areas of distress and then releasing specific chemical signals to recruit other local cells to switch from a degenerative mode to a regenerative one. In this role, stem cells sort of work as an orchestra conductor. Bone marrow and fat contain not only stem cells but other substances like growth factors, which are also beneficial for regenerative effects.

How is a Stem Cell Therapy Treatment Performed?

Stem cell therapy is a relatively quick procedure that requires minimal downtime. Stem cell therapy is broken down into the following steps:

Your orthopedic surgeon will extract the cells from a healthy area of the body

A local anesthetic is applied to this area before your cells are carefully extracted

The stem cells are separated in a centrifuge device

Finally, the stem cells are injected directly into the site of the injury

There are many sports injuries that can be helped with regenerative therapy. For example, stem cell therapy can help treat musculoskeletal injuries, such as tendon inflammation, muscle sprains, arthritis, and bone fractures. Some of the most commonly experienced sports injuries that regenerative therapy can address include:

Muscle Injuries

The most common type of sports injury is a muscle strain. When the muscle sustains an injury, stem cell therapy helps create new muscle tissue in a process known as regeneration.

Cartilage Damage

The most typical type of cartilage damage occurs in the knees. When an athlete suffers a knee injury, the cartilage, which helps with shock absorption begins to deteriorate. Regenerative therapy can naturally reduce painful inflammation to help improve range of motion and function.

Tendinopathy

Tendinopathy is an overuse injury most commonly affecting runners and tennis players. Frequent, repeated movements can lead to tendon damage. However, stem cell therapy can help heal the damaged tendons and improve both strength and structure.

Bone Injuries

Athletes often experience stress fractures when training or competing. These injuries occur when a substantial amount of stress is placed on a bone or joint, causing the tissue to weaken and break. Regenerative techniques help stress fractures heal by stimulating the growth of blood vessels at the break and jump starts bone repair.

Your Sports Injury Expert in Los Angeles

If you’re suffering from a sports-related injury, regenerative therapy can help you heal. Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon Steven W. Meier, MD and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) are experts in regenerative medicine techniques, which can help improve your post-injury recovery. Contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine to schedule a consultation today.

Next, read Chronic Back Pain? Now’s the Time to Schedule a Consultation

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Chronic Back Pain? Now’s the Time to Schedule a Consultation

Chronic low-back pain is one of the most common causes of disability worldwide. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on lower back pain and it’s the leading cause of lost productivity, making it imperative for patients to seek appropriate treatment with an orthopedic specialist to help eliminate their pain and reduce their risk of recurrence.

What is Chronic Back Pain?

There are two types of back pain: Sub-acute and Chronic. Sub-acute refers to pain in the back that lasts between 4 and 12 weeks. The second type: chronic back pain is persistent pain that lasts 12 weeks or longer. Unfortunately, it’s possible to injure your back in typical everyday activities like lifting boxes, reaching into your car trunk or twisting while swinging a golf club. It is so easy to injure your back that almost everyone has experienced low back pain at one time or another. While most of these cases may resolve on their own, chronic pain requires orthopedic treatment.

What are the Causes of Persistent Back Pain?

Some of the typical reasons for pain in the back include:

Overuse, strain, or injury either through work tasks, sports or daily activities

Normal aging and/or genetics

Herniated disc

Degenerative disc disease

Facet joint degeneration

Compression fractures

What Are Common Symptoms?

Just as there are varied causes for pain in the back, there is also a wide range of symptoms. For example, chronic back pain may either be dull or sharp. Pain can occur in a small area of the back or over a large area with or without additional muscle spasms. This type of persistent pain can also cause additional symptoms in one or both legs, such as pain, numbness, or tingling, often extending below the knee.

Chronic back pain can negatively impact several areas of life. Some of the debilitating effects include:

Reduced ability to perform daily and work tasks

Insomnia and reduction in quality sleep

Decreased ability to participate in physical activity or exercise

While it’s true that some degree of back pain and discomfort can be normal from time to time, with more and more people spending large portions of the day bent over their smartphones or working at their desk for hours at a time, are leading to a higher percentage of persistent pain in the back. With an accurate diagnosis from an orthopedic doctor, it’s possible to develop a treatment plan to successfully eradicate long-term pain.

At Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine, we specialize in leading-edge, minimally invasive techniques as a preferable alternative to surgery. We have been performing regenerative injection therapy (RIT) for chronic back pain with very promising success. This progressive treatment, which consists of a combination of stem cell prolotherapy, intra-discal platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and dextrose epidural injections, harnesses the body’s own healing capacity to help restore pain-free function. Rather than rely on steroids to temporarily mask the pain, we focus on optimizing tissue health and regeneration for longer-lasting pain relief.

Your Chronic Back Pain Expert in Los Angeles

Chronic back pain can happen to anyone. However, with the help of Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Steven W. Meier, MD and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) it’s possible to heal from your chronic back pain. Contact us to schedule a consultation today.

Next, read How Different Types of Exercise Can Help Prevent Injuries

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How Different Types of Exercise Can Help Prevent Injuries

It doesn’t matter if you enjoy a pickup basketball game on the weekends or are a professional athlete, the number one way to prevent injury is with adequate physical conditioning. Not only do proper sports training regimens help decrease the risk of injury, but they also help decrease the severity of an injury if it should occur and can help reduce the risk of recurrent injury.

For example, when an athlete performs strengthening exercises for muscles around specific joints like the knee, it helps stabilize the joint and reduces the danger of injuries. In addition to reducing the chance of injury, strengthening the ligaments around the knee improves stabilization of the knee and can even enhance athletic skill.

Physical training falls into two primary groups: aerobic and anaerobic. Each group has its own benefits and should be utilized as part of a comprehensive conditioning program aiming toward injury prevention and maximizing athletic performance.

The Benefits of Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercises for Injury Prevention

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise help increase cardiovascular endurance. Sufficiently conditioning the cardiovascular and respiratory systems helps athletes delay the onset of fatigue during physical activity. Not sure what “aerobic and anaerobic” mean?  Hold tight, we will explain in just a second.  When an athlete is fatigued, they are vulnerable to injury and the nervous and muscular systems are unable to efficiently repair the body after injury.

With the use of aerobic and anaerobic exercise in sports training, cardiovascular endurance is increased and subsequent fatigue is delayed. In addition to these injury-reducing benefits, both aerobic and anaerobic exercise offer diverse health and fitness benefits that make them an essential addition to any training program.

What is Aerobic Training?

Aerobic training (often referred to in sports medicine as “moderate-intensity” training) is a type of conditioning that relies on the continual intake of oxygen during the workout. With aerobic exercise, our body burns both fat and stored glucose as fuel for our performance. The benefits of this type of exercise is twofold: our bodies begin to burn calories at a higher rate and our stamina is improved. For example, aerobic training will help runners run for longer periods of time. This helps delay leg fatigue during longer distances and reduces injury risk. Aerobic training also benefits your overall health by burning fat and strengthening your heart and lungs.

In order to get the most benefits out of an aerobic exercise, you’ll want to exercise hard enough to know that your body is working, but not so much that you are out of breath and unable to talk.

Examples of beneficial aerobic exercise include the following:

Jogging

Biking

Swimming

Hiking

What is Anaerobic Training?

In sports medicine, anaerobic training is also known as “high-intensity training.” This type of training is more intensive than aerobic and involves pushing an athlete to the limits of his or her abilities. During anaerobic training, your heart and breathing rate is accelerated so much that it is difficult to carry on a conversation. The body will continue to generate energy in the absence of oxygen and it’s common to feel out of breath or even the need to focus on breathing. With the increased effort involved with anaerobic training, the body uses carbohydrates for fuel, helping improve the body’s overall metabolic rate. This type of training works with activities that aren’t sustained for long periods without rest, like lifting weights or sprinting.

High intensity training offers many health benefits, including an “after burn” effect. An “after burn” effect means the body continues to burn calories for up to two hours after you’ve completed exercising. The amount of energy expended during the recovery phase is dependent on the intensity of the anaerobic activity. In addition to improving the body’s metabolism, anaerobic exercise enhances explosive strength, speed, and power that translates into better athletic performance and a reduced risk of injury while participating in your chosen sport.

Orthopedic Specialists and Injury Prevention Experts in Los Angeles

Whether you’re a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, proper conditioning plays an essential role in injury prevention. However, if you’ve suffered an injury, Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon Steven W. Meier, MD and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine are experts in a wide-range of orthopedic injuries and the latest sports medicine treatments, including innovative regenerative medicine, to help return you to full function and improved athletic performance. If you’ve suffered a sports injury, contact our sports medicine experts today.

Next, read Avoiding Common Winter Injuries

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Avoiding Common Winter Injuries

Whether you live in a city that experiences true winter weather or you travel to participate in winter activities like downhill skiing, snowboarding or ice skating, there’s always a risk of muscular and joint injuries when dealing with ice and snow. While these outdoor sports are great for improving cardiovascular health, when an orthopedic injury occurs, it can lead to pain, long recovery times, and increased medical costs.

The good news is that, if armed with education and information on common winter-sports-related injuries, it’s possible to both prevent injuries and enjoy your favorite activities.

The Most Common Winter-Sports Injuries

Knee Injuries

Knee injuries are some of the most common types of injuries treated in sports medicine. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is partially responsible for stabilizing the knee during movement. When the ACL is injured, whether sprained or torn, it results in instability in the knee and debilitating pain. ACL injuries most often occur during winter sports that require sudden stops or abrupt changes in direction, like snowboarding. When torn, an orthopedic surgeon may recommend an ACL reconstruction surgery in order to rebuild the ligament while restoring stability and mobility to the knee.

Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries, like dislocation, are very common during winter time. Winter weather leads to snow and ice, which can even make it challenging to walk. Participating in a strenuous activity can increase the risk of shoulder injury.

Skiing, ice skating, and ice hockey are all activities that can put you at risk for a shoulder injury. These activities have a higher risk of falls and when you hit a hard surface like ice, you run the risk of dislocating your shoulder. The shoulder joint is more mobile than other joints on the body, which increases its instability. As a result, a sudden impact can easily cause the joint to slip out of the socket, leading to intense pain and possible damage to nearby ligaments and muscles.

If you or a fellow athlete takes a fall, it’s imperative to seek care at an emergency room and with an orthopedic surgeon right away. Unlike primary care doctors, orthopedic surgeons specialize in treating shoulder injuries and are trained to surgically repair any damaged tissue in the shoulder, if necessary, as well as restore stability to the joint.

Wrist Fractures

A wrist fracture involves a break in the small bones of the wrist or ends of the forearm bones. These types of fractures most commonly occur when a patient attempts to break their fall by holding out their hands and subsequently landing on them.

Over six million people suffer a broken bone annually but only 300,000 of those cases will heal successfully. With a wrist fracture, it’s important to seek an evaluation with an orthopedic surgeon to assess the severity of the break and provide expert treatment. Wrist fracture treatments might include wearing a splint or cast, depending on the amount of damage and/or loss of function. Surgical intervention is necessary in cases when the break is severe, when conservative treatments fail, or in order to restore full function.

In addition to these treatments, rehabilitation is an important part of the healing process with the primary goals of restoring the range of motion, strength, and functional movement. Learn more about wrist injury treatments at WebMD.com.

Spinal Injuries

Spinal or back injuries are some of the most common and disruptive injuries that can occur with winter activities. Injuries to the back can vary from annoying to dangerous. Sprains and strains to the ligaments of the back can lead to pain and weeks of recovery, while a fracture or dislocation can damage the spinal cord leading to partial or full paralysis. Skiers, snowboarders and ice hockey players are prone to spinal injuries. While some spinal injuries will resolve on their own, it’s valuable to seek out an evaluation with an orthopedic surgeon to evaluate your symptoms if they do not resolve within a few weeks. Innovative orthopedic spine treatments and regenerative medicine offer patients with spinal injuries the most effective healing options with efficient recovery times.

How to Prevent Common Orthopedic Injuries During the Winter

Make sure to warm-up before participating in any wintertime activity, like skiing, snowboarding or skating. Stretching will not only help improve your flexibility but also reduce your risk of injury. Additionally, pre-season conditioning is crucial for preventing knee, shoulder, wrist, or back injuries. It’s recommended to incorporate resistance training to strengthen the stabilizing muscles and connective tissues as well as improve functional strength.

Your Winter Sports Injury Expert in Los Angeles

Playing winter sports can be unpredictable and injuries can happen. Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Steven W. Meier, MD and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) have extensive training and expertise in diverse orthopedic injuries and can help return you to full function in your chosen winter activities. If you’ve suffered an orthopedic injury, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine online or call our office to schedule a consultation today.

Next, read Sports and Exercises for People with Knee Injuries

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Sports and Exercises for People with Knee Pain

If your knee pain is chronic, whether from arthritis or several ACL injuries, you may refrain from sports that feature a lot of running or jumping because of the impact they have on your knees. You may even avoid going to the gym for your regular workout for fear that you may aggravate your condition with the wrong exercises.

This doesn’t mean, however, that you must sit on the sidelines forever, relegated to life as a spectator. Los Angeles orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steven Meier and the rest of the staff at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine have several suggestions for sports and/or exercises that can be great alternatives to those who put so much wear and tear on their knees.

In the Water

Jumping in the pool, lake, or ocean to play water sports is one of the best ways to get or keep fit without worsening your knee pain, even if you’ve had multiple ACL injuries. Studies consistently show that regular water exercise is good for you, as it improves both your mental and physical health as well as decreases your risk of chronic disease. For example, simply walking in the water can help because it doesn’t put much stress on your knees.

But there are plenty of other, perhaps more exciting water sports to get your heart racing and blood pumping while also helping your knee pain.

Swimming

This might not be a surprise, but it’s still worth mentioning. If you swim at the local pool, you’ll get a great workout and keep in shape while not exacerbating your knee pain. From the backstroke to the butterfly, swimming helps strengthen and condition all parts of your body without causing adverse stress on your knees.

Water Polo

If you’ve never played water polo, you’ll be shocked at how difficult it is; yet, you’ll be amazed at how fit you’ll look, and how little knee pain it causes. A word of caution, however – sometimes, the sport causes you to push off the bottom of the pool, so be careful that you don’t do so too energetically.

Rowing

While rowing isn’t exactly in the water, it still is a low-impact water sport. From a seated position, rowing requires you to use your upper body and arms to move the canoe or kayak across the water. If your orthopedic surgeon has advised you to keep your knees immobile or if you have too much pain, then competitive rowing might not be a good idea.

On the other hand, if your knees are good enough and you’re looking for a good workout, rowing can be a good option. A word of recommendation, though – when you push backward, don’t push off with your toes, as this will put a strain on your knee. Instead, use your leg muscles by pushing off with your entire foot.

On the Land

Although water sports are ideal if you have knee pain, there are land-based sports that you can indulge in that keep you fit without making your knees feel worse.

Cycling

Perhaps the most popular land-based sport for those enduring knee pain, cycling is also an effective mode of transportation to and from work, the supermarket, or a friend’s house. You can start slow if you’re recuperating from ACL injuries, such as by biking around the neighborhood or in the park.

As you gain strength and endurance, you can extend your distance and speed – eventually entering road races if you really start to get into it.

Walking

This is usually underrated because you walk everywhere – to work, through a supermarket, down the street to the neighbor’s, etc.

However, if you make walking part of your exercise routine and use it as a way to keep fit, you’ll find yourself looking forward to it, especially if you’re recovering from ACL injuries. In fact, as you get into it, you could find yourself on a moderate trail in the woods, which can be an excellent type of walking that’s good for your knees.

Wheelchair Sports

Wait – before you say, “My knee pain isn’t so bad that I need a wheelchair!” Stay with us for a moment.

Engaging in wheelchair sports, where you remain seated the entire time, provides a challenge that you may have never considered. While keeping off your knees, you can play wheelchair soccer, basketball, hockey, or even volleyball. You might find that being confined to a wheelchair to compete in your favorite sports is a unique way to keep those competitive juices going while not worsening your knee pain.

Avoid These Sports

We’ve narrowed down some of the toughest sports on your knees, so if you have knee pain or are recovering from an ACL tear, we strongly advise avoiding the following (listed in no particular order).

Golf (yes, because of the strain put on knees while swinging)

Running

Skiing

Basketball

Plyometric exercises (often called “jump training”)

Tennis

Soccer

Treatment Options for Your Knee Pain

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” treatment for your knee pain. A variety of factors go into which treatment can benefit you the most, including your age, overall health condition, recovery goals (i.e., living without pain, playing competitive sports, etc.), and the extent/history of your injury or injuries.

With that in mind, the following are several common options, including surgical and cutting-edge regenerative therapies, that might help relieve your knee pain:

Ligament reconstructive surgery (ACL, MCL, LCL, PCL)

Arthroscopy

Knee replacement surgery

Kneecap pain treatment

Prolotherapy

Stem cell treatment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy

Learn more about knee pain procedures at WebMD.com.

Want to Play Sports or Exercise More But Have Knee Pain? Contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine to Find Out More

Orthopedic surgeon Steven W. Meier, M.D. and his staff in Beverly Hills are experts in helping you deal with your knee pain, among other orthopedic conditions. To learn more, contact our office to set up a consultation today.

Next, read Ways to Prevent Debilitating ACL Injuries

The post Sports and Exercises for People with Knee Pain appeared first on Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine.

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Ways to Prevent Debilitating ACL Injuries

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries are the most common types of orthopedic knee injuries. The ACL is one of four significant ligaments in the knee joint that helps provide stability in the joint and helps facilitate the necessary coordination for movement. Therefore, damaging the ACL can easily reduce functional movement and interfere with one’s ability to participate in daily activities.

Each year, orthopedic surgeons treat 150,000 to 200,000 injured anterior cruciate ligaments, with most injuries occurring during physical activity and sports.

What is the ACL?

The ACL is located at the bottom of the thigh and attaches at the top of the shin. This tough, but elastic ligament is responsible for keeping the shin bone (tibia) from sliding in and out of the thigh bone (femur) and helps provide support for activities like twisting, turning, and jumping. However, since the ACL is made of elastic tissue, it can tear or rupture if overworked or over-stressed.

The most common ACL injuries occur in one of two ways: contact and non-contact.

A contact ACL injury occurs when there is direct trauma to the ligament from an event like a hard fall, car accident, or a football tackle. A non-contact ACL injury can happen when playing a sport or even during day-to-day activities. For example, if you rotate your body and twist while your foot is still planted on the ground, it can result in an ACL tear. If the damage from a ligament tear or rupture is extensive, it can require an arthroscopic reconstruction procedure to help restore function and mobility.

The Symptoms of a Torn or Ruptured ACL

An ACL injury may present the following symptoms:

Pain in the knee

Joint instability or the feeling that the joint gives out

Local swelling and edema

Knee stiffness

Bruising

Limping

Difficulty standing

A “pop” heard at the time of the injury

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to seek an evaluation with an orthopedic surgeon to help diagnose your knee injury and the best course of treatment.

Tips for Preventing Knee Ligament Injuries

While there isn’t just one single tip that can prevent an ACL injury, there are some great lifestyle tools and changes that can be used for injury prevention.

Warm Up Before Physical Activity

As you prepare to exercise or participate in any physical activity, it’s important to warm up fully. It is recommended to warm-up approximately 10–15 minutes before exercising or participating in sports by doing a series of stretches and light exercises that will increase the blood circulation and gently move the knee before more strenuous activity. Warming up also increases the presence of synovial fluid, which helps your knee joints function smoothly.

Up-Level Your Exercise Regimen

Adding specific strength training and cross-training exercises can help improve the health of your knee. Strength training with exercises like leg presses, squats, and lunges can help improve stability in the knee. Cross-training with a cardiovascular component is also beneficial and can be performed using a stair-climber, stationary bike, or elliptical trainer. Lastly, adding training drills that use plyometric exercises like jumping or lunges can help improve neuromuscular conditioning and ultimately reduce the risk of an ACL injury.

Perform Adequate Pre-Training

If you participate in a specific sport or fitness activity, you can help prevent an ACL injury or tear by preparing with adequate training. For example, before participating in basketball, tennis or soccer, plan for four weeks of endurance training prior to the beginning of the season to help with gaining the strength necessary to protect your knees.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight can go a long way toward improving your overall health and can help prevent placing too much weight and pressure on your knees. Excess weight can also negatively impact balance and coordination which can result in knee injuries.

Adopting healthy habits to protect the knees is paramount for avoiding an ACL injury. Once a person has suffered a knee injury, there can be life-long complications or problems. ACL injuries can lead to early onset osteoarthritis, pain, and the inability to return to pre-injury activity levels. However, if you think you have suffered an ACL injury, seek an evaluation with an orthopedic surgeon to help you determine the best course of action, which may involve minimally invasive regenerative medicine techniques, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications or even surgery.

Treatment for Severe ACL Injury

In cases of severe damage, arthroscopic knee surgery may be recommended in order to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament. Arthroscopic surgery is a great option for treating ACL injuries because the procedure is minimally invasive compared to traditional open surgery.

Arthroscopic surgery involves only two to three small incisions through which small surgical tools and an instrument with a light and camera are inserted, allowing orthopedic surgeons, such as Dr. Meier, to effectively treat and reconstruct the damaged ligament without interfering with the surrounding tissues and structures of the knee.

Learn more about anterior cruciate ligament tear treatment options at WebMD.com.

Your Orthopedic Injury Expert in Los Angeles

Accidents can happen. Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Steven W. Meier, M.D. and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) offer the latest in arthroscopic surgical techniques to help return you to full function after an ACL injury. Contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine at [phone] to schedule a consultation today.

Next, read Top NFL Players Who Have Undergone PRP Therapy for Orthopedic Injuries

The post Ways to Prevent Debilitating ACL Injuries appeared first on Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine.

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Top NFL Players Who Have Undergone PRP Therapy for Orthopedic Injuries

What Is PRP, How is it Used, and Who in the NFL is Getting It?

Here’s the Short List:

Hines Ward

Matt Forte

Troy Polamalu

LaRon Landry

Peyton Manning

Dez Bryant

Peyton Hillis

Knee injuries – In 2015, after suffering a knee injury, Matt Forte with the New York Jets had PRP injections to his right knee to help improve his healing outcome and speed up recovery.

Sprains and strains – Troy Polamalu with the Pittsburgh Steelers used PRP therapy to help facilitate his recovery after a strained calf prevented him from performing at his expected level. Not only was he able to take the field during the Super Bowl following regenerative medicine treatments, but he was also able to intercept a 40-yard pass for a touchdown.

Shoulder injuries – LaRon Landry of the Washington Redskins is another NFL athlete who used PRP therapy after he injured his shoulder and Achilles tendon. His orthopedic surgeon decided to use shockwave therapy combined with PRP treatments, which he credits for getting him back on the starting line-up for the Washington Redskins in less time.

Spinal injuries – Indianapolis Colts player Peyton Manning used stem cells to help enhance his recovery after a neck injury. PRP can be combined with Stem Cell Therapy to improve orthopedic treatment outcomes.

Fractures – Injured Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant received PRP injections after he fractured his foot. He credits the treatment for his successful recovery and the chance to return to the field sooner than anticipated.

Top NFL Players and PRP Therapy for Orthopedic Injuries

When any NFL player is injured, his first question is almost always, “How soon can I play again?” When Hines Ward of the Pittsburgh Steelers injured his knee, he looked to regenerative medicine in the form of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to help speed his recovery and get him ready to play in the Super Bowl that season.

In the past, when a professional athlete sustained an injury, the traditional treatment route would involve surgery, followed by rehabilitation with physical therapy. Recovery times for sports-related injuries can vary, and, in some cases, be lengthy. Some NFL players can lose months or even a whole season of training and game time due to an injury. Fortunately, the latest innovations in regenerative medicine, like platelet-rich plasma (PRP), are changing the outcomes for injury recovery and can help injured NFL players return to the football field faster and with less risk of recurrent injuries.

What is PRP Therapy?

PRP or PLATELET-RICH PLASMA is a concentrated form of blood plasma from the patient’s own body (autologous). This platelet-rich plasma is packed with at least seven growth factors: D-epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, and keratinocyte growth factor3. ​ The growth factors help the body to accelerate healing of wounds and injuries, like a sprained knee or a torn ACL, or rotator cuff. PRP treatments typically contain five to ten times the concentration of platelets and growth factors normally found in whole blood. ​ PRP can be used in conjunction with stem cell treatment to give a boost to stem cell processes, or it can be used as a stand-alone treatment. PRP acts as fuel for the stem cells. Sometimes, after a stem cell treatment Steven W. Meier, M.D. of Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine will inject PRP at one month intervals to “recharge” the stem cells which can remain active for 8-12 months. Learn more about stem cells in regenerative medicine, visit WebMD.com.

What to Expect During PRP Therapy?

The patient’s own blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to separate the plasma. This plasma is now concentrated with platelets and injected into the injured joint or tendon. As a stand-alone treatment PRP can help patients who have had little success with more traditional forms of treatment for chronic joint pain or a recurring injury.

A study published in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine found that PRP regenerative medicine therapy helped improve recovery time and outcomes for acute hamstring injuries in NFL players. As a real-life example, in 2011, Cleveland Browns player Peyton Hillis was ruled out to play for a week after he suffered a hamstring injury, but after receiving PRP treatments he was re-evaluated and declared well enough to play earlier than anticipated.

How Does PRP Therapy Help Treat Orthopedic Injuries?

With platelet-rich plasma therapy, the platelets and growth factors are injected into the injured area, enhancing not only the nutrients in the area but bolstering the body’s ability to heal. For instance, many football players suffer from Achilles tendonitis or patellar tendonitis in the knee. With continued training and game play, these injuries can become chronic and lead to microscopic tearing of the tendon and formation of scar tissue, if left untreated.

Tendon injuries are difficult to treat and heal because of poor blood supply in the area. So, when there are microscopic tears or chronic scarring, the body has a difficult time repairing the damage. With regenerative medicine, like PRP therapy, the body gets a jumpstart on the healing process, which helps mitigate debilitating injury and/or scarring.

Recovery after PRP Therapy

Platelet-rich plasma therapy is an innovative technique, yet, the procedure itself can be completed in under an hour. Compared to a surgical procedure, the PRP technique is relatively simple. Once the blood sample has been processed for a higher concentration of growth factor-packed platelets, it’s injected at the site of the injury. Usually, it takes 3-5 PRP treatments to produce the most impressive outcomes.

For most injuries, PRP therapy can help facilitate recovery in six weeks—which is much less than recovery times associated with surgical procedures or with typical physical therapy, which can require a year or more. For NFL athletes looking for a quick return to the playing field, PRP therapy is certainly worth it.

The Benefits of Platelet-Rich Plasma

Minimally invasive

Reduced pain and swelling with treatment

No serious side effects

Efficient treatment

Quick recovery

Your Choice for Regenerative Sports Medicine in Los Angeles

More and more professional athletes are looking to improve their recovery after sports injuries by receiving platelet-rich plasma injections. Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Steven W. Meier, M.D. and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) offer the latest in regenerative medicine treatments to treat sports-related injuries that can help professional and non-professional athletes avoid potentially damaging (and invasive) surgery.

To find out if your sports-related injury can be effectively treated with regenerative treatments, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine today to schedule a consultation.

Next, read How Modern Medicine Has Helped Save Athletic Careers

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How Modern Medicine Has Helped Save Athletic Careers

Professional sports remain as popular as ever, but a highly-coveted career in football, basketball, soccer, or any other renowned sport inevitably puts athletes at risk of suffering life-changing injuries. In many cases, certain sports-related injuries can be career-ending for professional athletes despite commonly used treatments like surgical interventions, anti-inflammatory medications, and corticosteroid injections. These traditional methods of medicine also come with their own risks, such as a potentially lengthy downtime or negative side effects. As a result, more injured athletes are seeking alternative treatments that can harness their own body’s power for self-healing and quickly get them back in the game.

Regenerative medicine, which uses an athlete’s own signaling cells and growth factors to heal, is now at the forefront of sports injury procedures because these treatments can help athletes overcome injuries without surgery or invasive measures.

How Regenerative Medicine Works

The most common sports injuries are musculoskeletal, which affect the hips, knees, elbows, ankles, shoulders or feet. The tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bones in these areas don’t receive as much blood flow as larger muscle groups, so the body has difficulty healing musculoskeletal injuries. The Mayo Clinic calls regenerative medicine therapy a “game-changing area of medicine,” offering an effective, alternative therapy for people who have not had success with traditional treatments. In sports medicine, regenerative medicine can actually jump start the body’s natural healing process in these hard-to-heal areas.

The best part of using regenerative medicine for sports injury patients is that the treatments themselves require little to no downtime and accelerate the body’s injury healing process. Additional benefits of regenerative medicine include:

Non-invasive treatment

Provides anti-inflammatory factors to help with the healing process

Increases function within the tendons, ligaments, and joints

Little to no side effects

Fast and efficient recovery

The Leading Regenerative Medicine Treatments

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy typically involves injecting HIGH concentration dextrose solutions (15% dextrose, 25% dextrose) into areas of distressed tissue Prolotherapy can be used to treat musculoskeletal disorders in two main ways. One is to inject injured connective tissue structures like lax ligaments and degenerated tendons to induce healing. Another way is to inject a solution inside joints to reduce painful inflammation from damaged or arthritic cartilage.

Prolotherapy has been shown to induce the production of collagen, which makes up the substance of supportive ligaments – kind of like fibers in a rope or cable. Collagen also provides the framework to support cartilage which is sort of like rebar in buildings. It also stimulates the production of the building blocks of cartilage, to provide its compressive and cushioning properties.

Prolotherapy solutions also naturally decrease neurogenic inflammation – a common source of pain in many musculoskeletal conditions. The body’s response to prolotherapy is slow and gradual – which is actually good news. Although the onset of relief is gradual, the duration of effects can also be expected to be relatively long. Prolotherapy is considered a relatively safe and natural intervention. The solutions used are simple and non-toxic. There are no serious side effects. Prolotherapy can be used alone or in combination with other regenerative medicine modalities.

Stem Cells

These are often referred to as mesenchymal stem cells or “MSCs.” Autologous stem cells can be harvested from a patient’s bone marrow (bone marrow aspirate concentrate or “BMAC”) or adipose (fat) tissue. MSCs are special cells present in all of our bodies and have the ability to take action when we are injured. These cells signal to other cells that are involved in inflammation and tissue repair and provide them with what is essentially molecular medicine and tools to help heal and repair what is needed, depending on the issue/area they are responding to. These MSCs are also referred to as “medicinal signaling cells” since they act as little pharmacies containing growth factors and other compounds that exert naturally anti-inflammatory effects and stimulate a healing response. These cells have a unique ability to identify areas of tissue in distress and then migrate to those areas to exert their beneficial effects.

When we get older, or are somehow physically compromised, we may benefit from a supplement of these cells to improve healing and repair. Injections of MSCs for musculoskeletal purposes can lead to the diminution of painful inflammation and, in some cases, the regeneration of bone, tendons, muscle, and cartilage. For example, NFL player Chris Johnson with the New York Jets had stem cells from his bone marrow reinjected into his knee to augment his surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a concentrated form of blood plasma from the patient’s own body (autologous). The patient’s blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to separate the plasma. This plasma is now concentrated with platelets and injected into the injured joint or tendon. This platelet-rich plasma is packed with at least seven growth factors and other cytokines that can stimulate healing of soft tissue and cartilage to heal wounds, and injuries, like a sprained knee, torn ACL, or rotator cuff degenerated tendons, chondromalacia, and arthritic cartilage.

PRP can be used in conjunction with stem cell treatment to give a boost to stem cell processes, or it can be used as a stand-alone regenerative medicine treatment. PRP acts as fuel for the stem cells. Sometimes, after a stem cell treatment a PRP injection will be given at one month intervals to “recharge” the stem cells which can remain active for 8-12 months. As a stand-alone treatment PRP can help patients who have had little success with more traditional forms of treatment for chronic joint pain or a recurring injury. When NBA player Stephen Curry sprained his right knee during the 2016 play-offs, he received prp therapy in order to speed up his recovery and return him to the court.

Since most sports-related injuries occur in a location that lacks sufficient circulation, the injuries are deprived of the platelets and growth factors needed to regenerate damaged tissue. With a PRP treatment, this problem is solved because the platelets necessary to support healing are delivered directly to the injury.

Treating Common Sports Injuries with Regenerative Medicine

Injuries like Achilles tendinosis or cartilage defects can be successfully treated with both stem cell and PRP regenerative medicine treatments. Both treatments have been shown to rejuvenate, regenerate, and repair the injured areas with results that are noticeable within a few days after treatment.

A knee injury is also very common for athletes. An athlete needs to have fully functioning knees in order to stay in game-ready shape. Whether it’s arthritis, a ligament, meniscus or cartilage tear, different sports-related knee injuries can quickly end an athlete’s career. Surgical interventions like knee replacement are typical treatments but can require an extended recovery and rehabilitation time. Prolotherapy and stem cell treatments help athletes repair their knees with just a series of quick office visits.

Arthritis, tendonitis, and bursitis are common sports injuries that affect the hips. These orthopedic problems cause severe pain and can limit mobility or function. Without proper hip mobility, athletes are unable to successfully compete. Hip surgery is a common treatment in orthopedic medicine for these conditions but stem cells and prolotherapy treatments are quickly becoming a popular option because these techniques are less invasive and also have a significantly lower recovery time. In addition, the increased range of motion and reduced pain in the hip region can replace the need for surgical intervention.

Your Choice for Regenerative Medicine Treatments in Los Angeles

A sports injury is an athlete’s worst nightmare but common orthopedic problems don’t need to be career-ending. Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Steven W. Meier, M.D. and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) offer the latest in regenerative treatments, including prolotherapy, MSC treatments, and platelet-rich plasma therapy to treat sports injuries, even those that have not improved with standard orthopedic medicine treatments.

To find out if your sports-related injury can be effectively treated with regenerative treatments, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine at [phone] to schedule a consultation.

Next, read What Orthopedic Injuries Do Fighters Like Mayweather and McGregor Face in the Ring?

The post How Modern Medicine Has Helped Save Athletic Careers appeared first on Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine.

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What are the Differences Between Prolotherapy, Stem Cell Therapy, and PRP?

Metaphors are a great way to help make sense of many ideas. In the spirit of metaphorical explanations, we at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) in Beverly Hills tried to sum up the differences among some of the pillars of regenerative medicine – stem cell therapy, platelet rich plasma (PRP), and prolotherapy.

First, we tried the Beverly Hills garden metaphor, which fit nicely for PRP, but was a stretch for stem cell therapy and prolotherapy. We also considered the general contractor approach, which, we discovered, had already been used but still had some room for improvement. So, although these pillars of regenerative medicine are so fascinating, describing them warrants a head on approach, we are going to try and give our own spin to the general contractor metaphor and broaden the scope to that of a home.

Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Dr. Steven Meier of Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) informally explains how to make sense of the differences and similarities among these pillars of regenerative medicine.

Understanding the Three Main Pillars of Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative injection therapy for musculoskeletal conditions enables your body to regenerate components that keep your body functioning properly, which also typically results in a decrease of pain. Stem Cell Therapy, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), and Prolotherapy are cutting-edge regenerative methods that can help address several common orthopedic conditions – arthritis, a hamstring tear, degenerative disc disease, and much more. Fortunately, access to regenerative medicine is no longer confined to professional athletes. The general public is getting in the game now – worldwide.

To find out if you are a good candidate for stem cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), or prolotherapy, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine at 310-777-7845 to schedule a consultation. Dr. Meier and his team offer innovative regenerative medicine techniques for diverse orthopedic problems, including chronic injuries that have not improved with conventional treatments and as recovery enhancement for surgical procedures.

Your Body, Your Home

In order to better understand the difference between the three main forms of regenerative medicine therapy, think of your body as a house that is constantly receiving some sort of maintenance – workers are mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, exterminating pests, spackling cracks in the walls, fixing the plumbing, etc… Then, one day, a load-bearing wall buckles. The plaster and drywall has worn away and the frame has buckled. In order to keep other parts of the house from being affected, you need help repairing the damage.

Regenerative Medicine Therapy – Your Construction Team

Stem Cell Therapy – The General Contractors

Stem cell therapy can be likened to sending in a team of general contractors (GC) to get the job done. Each GC has the blueprints with the information they need to get each segment of the repair job done, and each GC can redirect crew already working in nearby areas of the house to come and learn specific tasks and fix the buckled wall. The GC will pass on the blueprints to crew (nearby cells), giving them the required information to complete each job.

Stem cells use paracrine signaling to achieve this form of communication. Stem cells secrete chemical factors that are like the blueprints or instructions required to do a job. Nearby cells have surface receptors that receive the necessary blueprint information, or chemical factors. They are now equipped with the necessary programming to address the necessary task.

There are three different types of stem cells, two of which can currently be used for diverse rehabilitative purposes, and a third is enjoying its first applied success as of March 20171.

Non-Embryonic “Somatic,” or “Adult” Stem Cells are harvested from adult tissues2

Embryonic Stem Cells from (mostly) in vitro created embryos2

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) can be induced to behave as stem cells by programming them to their nascent or embryonic state2

Currently, Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine (MOSM) utilizes adult stem cells that are harvested from the patient’s own body (autogenous).

Platelet-Rich Plasma(PR) – The Subcontractors

PRP or Platelet-Rich Plasma can be used in conjunction with stem cell  treatments to give a boost to the stem cell processes or it can be used as a stand-alone treatment. PRP acts as fuel for the stem cells. Sometimes, after a stem cell treatment at our Beverly Hills office, Dr. Meier will inject PRP at one month intervals to “recharge” the stem cells, which can remain active for 8-12 months. For PRP, the patient’s own blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to separate the plasma. This plasma is now concentrated with platelets and is packed with at least seven growth factors – epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, and keratinocyte growth factor3.

PRP can be likened to subcontractors. If PRP is used as a standalone, it would be as though you pulled subcontractors who are doing other maintenance jobs in other parts of your house off their normal tasks. This amassed group of skilled workers would then focus their areas of expertise on fixing the buckled load-bearing wall. This crew wouldn’t need the blueprints from the GCs (stem cells) because they all have specific skill sets and each knows how to execute the tasks required of them. Yet, as mentioned, in the presence of stem cells (or GCs, if you will), they can still jump in and do their jobs and work together.

Prolotherapy – The Inspector

Prolotherapy can be likened to sending an irritated inspector into the space that needs attention. His irritation is sensed by the workers in other areas of the house, so they respond to the area and begin repairing the buckled wall.

The term “prolotherapy” is short for “proliferative therapy,” which involves the stimulation of a proliferative or regenerative process in the body. The prolotherapy technique involves administering multiple injections of a dextrose-saline solution in a specific concentration into or around the tissue requiring treatment. Prolotherapy can be used to treat musculoskeletal disorders in 2 main ways. One is to inject injured connective tissue structures like ligaments and tendons to induce healing. As injured or degenerated and lax supportive structures cause joint instability and painful inflammation, healing these structures reduces painful inflammation from bursitis, tendinosis or damaged cartilage.

Prolotherapy can be used to treat musculoskeletal disorders in two main ways. One is to inject injured connective tissue structures, like ligaments and tendons, in order to induce healing. Injured, degenerated or lax supporting structures cause joint instability, which can lead to painful inflammation, therefore, healing these structures leads to improved tension and reduction of joint instability, allowing the painful inflammation to subside.  way to use prolotherapy is to inject concentrated dextrose solution inside joints to reduce painful inflammation from bursitis, tendinosis or damaged cartilage.

The second way to use prolotherapy regenerative medicine is to inject a concentrated dextrose solution inside the joints to reduce painful inflammation from bursitis, tendinosis or damaged cartilage.

Prolotherapy works in several different ways. Prolotherapy has been demonstrated to induce the production of collagen. Collagen is an essential substance found in supportive ligaments, which functions like the fibers in a rope or cable. Collagen also provides the framework to support cartilage just like the rebar used in buildings.

Additionally, prolotherapy stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans, which are the building blocks of cartilage, providing its compressive and cushioning properties. Also, very importantly, dextrose prolotherapy solutions have been shown to naturally decrease neurogenic inflammation, a common source of pain in many musculoskeletal conditions.

Learn more about stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine at ScienceMag.org.

Remodeling Regenerative Medicine’s Reputation

When the discussion about using about stem cells and regenerative medicine started, controversy ensued – whether it was religious beliefs or disputes of efficacy, everyone seemed to be weighing in. While there may always be parts of new medicine that trigger controversy, regenerative medicine therapy in Beverly Hills has logged some more time and the increased volume in studies is starting to add some really good color to our deeper understanding of this exciting frontier.

To learn more about regenerative medicine and how it may benefit those suffering from orthopedic conditions, such as chronic back pain, osteoarthritis, and ligament injuries, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine at 310-777-7845 to schedule a consultation at our Beverly Hills office. Dr. Meier specializes in providing the most comprehensive and progressive treatments available, from therapeutic techniques and regenerative medicine to minimally-invasive surgery.

References:

1. http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/03/cutting-edge-stem-cell-therapy-proves-safe-will-it-ever-be-effective 2. https://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/4.htm 3. Van Pham et al. Stem Cell Research & Therapy 2013, 4:91 http://stemcellres.com/content/4/4/91

Next, read If Laird Hamilton Can Do It, So Can You…But Would You Want To?

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If Laird Hamilton Can Do It, So Can You…But Would You Want To?

Why would someone want to be awake during hip replacement surgery? Is that right up there with using hypnosis instead of anesthesia? Or has hip replacement surgery come so far, it’s as easy as getting your teeth cleaned? You might be surprised to hear that it��s not at all uncommon.

Laird Hamilton, a daredevil surfer who helped pioneer tow-in surfing, survived being lost at sea and rescued by the United States Coast Guard, and once saved the life of a fellow surfer by making a tourniquet out of his swim trunks, has been getting some buzz for undergoing hip replacement surgery…awake. There haven’t been too many technical details shared, but a few things are clear – hip replacement is not only for your Great-Aunt Martha, and hip replacement surgery recovery can look a whole lot better than you may have thought.

Dr. Steven W. Meier of Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine, an expert in hip arthroplasty, tempers the hype about Laird staying awake with some hip replacement facts, and notes that the real takeaway is how quickly Laird was up and around after major reconstructive hip surgery.

“Laird most likely had a spinal anesthetic, allowing him to remain “awake.” This is an option for many patients during this type of surgery.  We usually perform this surgery under either general or spinal anesthesia. With general anesthesia, patients are asleep. With a spinal anesthetic, they are numb from the waist down. Usually patients with a spinal anesthetic are also given sedation so they essentially nap through the procedure but technically it would be possible to remain “awake” though the procedure if one really wanted to. There are certain relative benefits to using spinal anesthesia and other pros and cons to using general.

The truly remarkable thing revealed in the story is how quickly Laird was up and around so soon after surgery. This is due to a current trend in joint replacement is toward early mobilization, short stay, and outpatient joint replacement surgery. By using more sophisticated pain management strategies (multimodal analgesia, less opioids, regional nerve blocks), the Direct Anterior Approach, and strategies to minimize blood loss (tranexamic acid, robotic-assisted surgery), patients are less debilitated after surgery. The benefits of early mobilization are a lower rate of complications (i.e. deep venous thrombosis, etc.), shorter period of disability and a faster return to independence.”

All great news for those of you who may be putting off that hip replacement and dealing with chronic pain instead.

And robotic-assisted surgery?  Before you get the wrong idea, robots are not performing surgery. However, there is robotic-arm that is programmed to assist in a very specific way during surgery, and it’s a game changer. Dr. Meier has the distinction of being one of the very…VERY few orthopedic surgeons in the Los Angeles area who is certified to use the Mako robotic-arm assisted technology to perform hip arthroplasty (along with uni-compartmental, bi-compartmental, and total knee replacement surgery).

In a total hip replacement, this cutting-edge technology offers unprecedented precision in accuracy/position of the implants and the length of leg. This accuracy results in a decrease in dislocation rates, a longer life of the implant, and reduces the chances to need a revision surgery in the future.

Dr. Meier provides patient-specific 3D models to pre-plan the hip replacement by utilizing Stryker/Mako technology. This tailored surgical pre-operative mapping is then synced up with the patient position in the operating room. Dr. Meier guides the Stryker robotic-arm during surgery, with these synced coordinates acting like very sophisticated surgical GPS. Because the arm will not move outside of the mapped plan, Dr. Meier can focus on removal of diseased bone, preserve healthy bone, and position the hip implant based on your anatomy.

We’re curious to know the details of Laird’s surgery, but more importantly, we hope that others realize that you don’t have to be Laird Hamilton to quickly be up and around after hip arthroplasty these days.

Next, read our blog, Everything You Wanted to Know About Prolotherapy.

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Prolotherapy

Proliferative therapy is an innovative medical treatment, but it isn’t new. In the 4th century BC, Hippocrates used proliferative therapy, also known as prolotherapy, to stop bleeding with cauterization. As a result, he discovered the added healing benefits of this treatment, which resulted in healthier ligaments and joints. However, it wasn’t until the 1950s, when Dr. George S. Hackett, a U.S. general surgeon, began performing injections of irritant solutions in an effort to repair joints and hernias that we know as modern day prolotherapy.

Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Dr. Steven Meier and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine offer cutting-edge prolotherapy for a long list of orthopedic problems, including chronic injuries that have not improved with inside-the-box treatments.

To find out if you are a good candidate for prolotherapy, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine at [phone] to schedule a consultation.

What is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy is a regenerative medicine therapy that naturally stimulates the repair of soft tissue, joints, and connective tissue injuries.

Repetitive use of joints, injuries, poor posture, improper stretching, auto accidents, falls, etc., can cause a tear or stretch in the connective tissues within the joints. As a result of the weakened connective tissues, a number of issues can result including:

Reduced joint mobility

Decreased strength

Increased muscle spasms

Poor posture

Impaired joint function

As a result of damaged connective tissue, arthritis can develop in the joint, and lead to permanent disability or chronic pain. The good news is that prolotherapy is a joint pain treatment that can help prevent long-term damage from occurring in the first place.

How Does Prolotherapy Work?

Prolotherapy initiates the body’s natural healing process with simple injections into injured joints, causing a stress inflammation reaction. This inflammation results in joint tissue rehabilitation by increasing cell migration to the weakened or injured area, which creates new, strengthened tissues.

In addition, prolotherapy helps stimulate the body to make more collagen. Through regenerative injection therapy, the immune system begins to produce more collagen naturally. The production of new collagen also facilitates tissue repair, which allows for strengthened and restored tendons, ligaments, and joints, and ultimately, translates into more significant and/or permanent pain relief.

What are in Prolotherapy Injections?

There are several different types of injections that have proven to be successful in prolotherapy, including the use of chemical irritants, osmotic agents, and particulates. Each one works in diverse ways to encourage the body to heal itself through its own natural processes. As a result, prolotherapy facilitates healing by building new tissue, restoring joint stability, and eliminating the source of the pain.

Prolotherapy uses a combination of solutions that include an anesthetic and proliferant to alleviate the “pain trigger,” while at the same time strengthening the ligaments and tendons at the site of the injury.

How Long will the Results Last?

Prolotherapy allows the body to create new healthy tissue, so the positive effects can be permanent. Because prolotherapy is given in a series of injections, results improve over time.

Common Regenerative Medicine Injection Areas

All joints respond positively to regenerative injection therapy. This type of joint tissue rehabilitation can successfully treat the following conditions, though it should be noted that this is just a partial list:

Back pain

Bone fractures and arthritis

Unstable joints

Heel spurs

Tennis elbow or tendonitis

Rotator cuff tears

Knee joint problems

And more

What are the Potential Side Effects?

Prolotherapy is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates the body’s natural healing mechanisms. The potential side effects of regenerative injection therapy are rare but may include temporary swelling, headache, nausea, stiffness, soreness, and tiredness. These side effects usually resolve in 2-4 days after treatment.

How Many Treatments are Necessary for Maximum Results?

While the number of prolotherapy sessions will vary from patient to patient, the main goal of proliferative therapy is to help each patient return to optimal function. The maximum benefits of prolotherapy are achieved when the patient’s full strength and endurance are reached and his or her joint function has been restored.

The benefits of a joint pain treatment like prolotherapy evolve gradually. The main goal of prolotherapy is to allow each patient to be able to perform physical activities with less pain. For example, the degree of ligament/joint laxity and underlying arthritis will impact the number of treatments needed. In general, it is recommended to start with 3-5 sessions of prolotherapy injections performed at 2-4 week intervals. After that, an evaluation is advised to determine if more regenerative medicine injection treatments are needed.

To learn more about prolotherapy, please visit Wikipedia.org.

Get Relief for Painful Joint Conditions in Los Angeles

Chronic pain as a result of musculoskeletal injuries can decrease a person’s ability to perform daily activities: from work to exercise. For more information on how prolotherapy can help improve function and reduce pain in your daily life, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine by calling [phone] to request a consultation with Dr. Meier today.

Next, read our blog, Can a Hip Arthroscopy Restore Your Mobility?

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Can a Hip Arthroscopy Restore Your Mobility?

As the largest and most complex weight-bearing joints, the hip can be particularly susceptible to injuries and deterioration in the form of osteoarthritis (OA), which affects over 30 million adults in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you are one of the millions of Americans suffering from chronic pain due to an orthopedic injury or degenerative condition like arthritis, chances are you have had to miss work, limit or withdraw from physical activities and sports, or have difficulty with basic movement and mobility on the side of the affected joint. To receive expert diagnosis and treatment from a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, don’t hesitate to contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine in Beverly Hills today. You may be a candidate for the minimally invasive hip arthroscopy procedure that can help you overcome debilitating mobility problems.

What is Hip Arthroscopy?

Also known as arthroscopic hip surgery, hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure performed by an orthopedic surgeon for the diagnosis and treatment of joint injuries and disease. The procedure is designed to provide the surgeon direct visualization and access to the joint using images taken by a small camera attached to the end of a surgical instrument (arthroscope). Once the source of the pain or stiffness has been identified, hip arthroscopy can then be used to correct a number of common injuries. Many patients who undergo this procedure tend to return to the level of physical activity and mobility enjoyed before the onset of pain and injury.

It may be surprising to hear, but younger patients benefit most from hip arthroscopy. Due to the numerous benefits offered by hip arthroscopy over traditional hip procedures, younger patients experience less downtime, smaller incisions, and less complications than with normal surgery.

Common Causes of Chronic Pain and Stiffness in the Hip Joint

When the cartilage that lubricates the bones in the hip joint begins to wear down and deteriorate, either through normal wear and tear over time as a person ages, or as the result of an injury, it leads to friction between the bones, which can result in pain, inflammation (swelling), and difficulty with movement and mobility in the affected joint.

Conditions that can be treated with hip arthroscopy include the following:

Femoro-Acetabular Impingement (FAI) – Results in the growth of additional bone fragments, which can interfere with the alignment of the hip joint and cause friction between the bones in the joint socket with movement

Acetabular labral tears

Loose bodies – Small fragments of bone and cartilage free floating in the joint space can lead to pain and affect the proper range of motion and movement of the joint. Hip arthroscopy is an ideal procedure for both locating and removing loose bodies in the joint space.

Hip capsule laxity and instability

Osteochondritis dissecans

Snapping hip syndrome

Bursitis

Toxic synovitis

Developmental dysplasia

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

Previous soft tissue injuries – The bones of the hip joint are supported by a complex network of soft or connective tissue (tendons, ligaments, and muscle). Some studies have found that even when treated successfully, a tendon or ligament tear in youth (common in sports injuries) can increase the risk of osteoarthritis in the affected joint years later.

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Hip Arthroscopy Surgery for Hip Joint Pain Diagnosis and Treatment

Depending on the nature and extent of the injury, hip arthroscopy can be used to diagnose and correct the source of chronic pain, stiffness, and mobility problems in the hip joint, without the risks and recovery time associated with major surgery. Because it is a minimally invasive procedure that can usually be performed on an outpatient basis, arthroscopic hip surgery has many benefits over traditional open hip surgery for qualified patients, including:

Smaller incisions

Reduced blood loss

Shorter recovery period

Less risk of complications associated with major surgery

Greater visualization, precision, and accuracy in diagnosing and treating hip injuries

Less disruptive for lifestyle and quality of life

For many people living with chronic hip joint pain, which often results in difficulty with exercise and basic movements like walking, sitting comfortably for long periods of time, or going up and down stairs, taking time off from work and daily responsibilities to recover from major hip surgery is simply not an option. Hip arthroscopy is a highly effective and less disruptive method to diagnose and treat problems and restore joint functionality and quality of life as a result.

Contact Dr. Meier, Orthopedic Surgeon in Los Angeles

To learn more about arthroscopic hip surgery for chronic joint pain and mobility problems and whether it is right for you, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine by calling [phone] to request a consultation today.

Next, read our blog, 5 Life-Changing Advantages of Proliferative Therapy.

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5 Life Changing Advantages of Proliferative Therapy

Prolotherapy, also known as “proliferative therapy” is an innovative form of regenerative medicine that is paving the way in healing acute and chronic injuries, including debilitating joint pain. Prolotherapy is a cutting-edge joint pain treatment that can benefit people suffering from tendonitis, arthritis, bulging discs and soft tissue pain originating in the neck, lower back, shoulders, elbows, hips, ankles, knees, and more.

What is Prolotherapy?

Prolotherapy helps by supporting the natural healing process with a simple injection procedure that stimulates the recovery of tiny tears or injuries that might be found in the connective tissue within the musculoskeletal system (ligaments, tendons, muscle fibers, fascia, and joint capsules).

The Top 5 Advantages of Proliferative Therapy

Prolotherapy is an innovative therapy that offers many advantages, including the following:

Increases collagen production

Collagen is the main protein that provides structure to the skin and other connective tissues.

Stimulates glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan production

Glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans are the building blocks of cartilage and provide necessary cushioning for the joints.

Decreases neurogenic inflammation

Inflammation is one of the main causes of pain in many musculoskeletal conditions and injuries.

Non-invasive, natural-healing

Prolotherapy offers a safe and natural intervention for chronic musculoskeletal issues without causing serious side effects.

Reduces pain and improves function

Prolotherapy is a revolutionary minimally-invasive technique that relieves pain by directly impacting the underlying condition that causes discomfort. Research studies show that more that 80 percent of people treated with prolotherapy report a good or excellent result regarding pain reduction.

How Does Regenerative Medicine Work?

When ligaments or tendons (connective tissue) are stretched or torn, the joint they are holding becomes unstable and can become swollen and painful. Prolotherapy works as a regenerative injection therapy with the ability to directly repair at the point of injury and directly stimulate new collagen tissue, which results in improved stabilization of the joint and a reduction in pain.

The prolotherapy method involves injecting an anesthetic and an irritant directly into joints, ligaments or tendons that have been injured or torn. This non-surgical method then initiates the body’s own healing processes, resulting in the gradual strengthening of connective tissue.

As part of joint pain treatment, prolotherapy injections are targeted directly at the site of the injury. The treatment involves a series of injections, where patients receive anywhere from 3–7 injections depending on the severity of their injury. Injections are administered every 2–4 weeks over the course of several months in order to prime the body’s healing mechanisms and improve the longevity of treatment outcomes.

The 5 Most Common Injuries Treated with Prolotherapy

Tendon injuries

Prolotherapy increases platelet-derived growth factors needed to initiate tendon repair, particularly in conditions like chronic Achilles tendinopathy.

Chronic back, spine, and neck pain

Spine pain can be caused by small tears and weakened tissue in the back that contribute to inflammation, reduced functional movement, bulging discs, and overall back pain. As a result of proliferative therapy, the activation of pain receptors in tendons or ligaments that are responsible for sending painful nerve signals are shut down, thereby reducing discomfort. In addition, by reducing the small tears found in the back that may be sensitive to stretching and compression, prolotherapy eliminates the direct source of back pain.

Prolotherapy can be used to successfully treat the following back issues:

Neck pain due to spine related conditions

Sciatica/sciatic nerve pain

Bulging or herniated discs

Degenerative disc disease

Sacroiliac problems

Rotator cuff injuries

Whiplash

And more

Shoulder injuries and pain

Chronic shoulder pain can result in myriad of issues, including the following:

Loss of sleep

Decreased mobility and range of motion

Increased risk of disability

And more

Most shoulder injuries are a result of the rotator cuff being overworked through repetitive use or overuse and can benefit joint tissue rehabilitation like prolotherapy. Prolotherapy is a successful joint pain treatment for most shoulder injuries including chronic frozen shoulder, impingement, and arthritis.

Elbow & wrist tendonitis

Most elbow and wrist injuries are sports-related. Not only can injuries like lateral or medial epicondylitis affect the elbow, it can cause subsequent pain in the lower spine, ligaments, and shoulders, and put people at risk of other injuries. Prolotherapy offers an effective joint pain treatment for the repair of lateral and medial epicondylitis, sprains, tendonitis, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Hand & feet injuries

Prolotherapy is now being used to treat discomfort associated with common hand and foot injuries, which are caused by repetitive use and damage to the ligaments. These injuries can be triggered by everyday activities like typing, using a computer mouse, playing sports or standing for long periods of time.

Find Effective Joint Pain Relief in Los Angeles

Musculoskeletal conditions can cause chronic pain in daily life and interfere with your ability to participate in day-to-day activities. For more information on the many advantages of proliferative therapy, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine by calling [phone] to request a consultation with Dr. Meier today.

Next, read our blog, 3 Ways Stem Cell Therapy is Revolutionizing Hip Orthopedics.

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3 Ways Stem Cell Therapy is Revolutionizing Hip Orthopedics

Imagine a world where advanced cartilage loss and joint degeneration from orthopedic conditions, like osteoarthritis, or congenital disorders, like hip dysplasia, no longer required hip replacement surgery (arthroplasty) to improve mobility and alleviate chronic joint pain. Imagine what it would be like if a simple injection or a minimally-invasive procedure at an orthopedic surgeon’s office was enough to restore movement and improve the quality of life for patients of all ages, backgrounds, and fitness levels, allowing them to remain active well into retirement age and beyond.

Although the prospect of tissue engineering might still sound like something out of a science fiction movie or graphic novel, the truth is that regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy have been in development for the treatment of orthopedic injuries for decades.

According to a study conducted by researchers at Cytex Therapeutics, Inc. and Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal in June 2016, researchers were able to generate new cartilage from stem cells on a simulated hip joint. With additional gene therapy and tissue engineering techniques, the researchers also modified the regenerated cartilage to issue anti-inflammatory molecules upon stimulation. Using stem cells from adult fat (adipose) tissue, the cartilage can be grown outside of the body, and then transplanted into a deteriorated hip or knee joint in the future, according to the study.

Benefits of Stem Cells and Hip Joint Injury Treatment

Orthopedic medicine research has made great strides in developing less invasive treatments and alternatives to traditional open hip, back, and knee surgery. These minimally-invasive options have dramatically improved the lives of millions of people with degenerative joint conditions and injuries, like osteoarthritis. Hip arthroscopy, for example, allows orthopedic surgeons to diagnose and treat several different hip joint problems without having to resort to complicated surgery, which might result in prolonged hospital stays, extended recovery times, and an increased risk of complications associated with surgery.

Additionally, arthroplasty (hip joint replacement) helps older and younger patients alike regain hip function after suffering debilitating and irreversible joint damage.

1. Offering Hope for Non-Surgical Alternatives to Major Hip Surgery and Joint Replacement

As research and technology progress, regenerative medicine experts will continue to expand on the medical applications of stem cell therapies in the hope that orthopedic surgeons will be able to regenerate new cartilage from patients’ own stem cells. In the future, it may even be possible to prevent the severe joint damage and deterioration that eventually requires joint replacement surgery. Stem cell therapy may help millions of individuals avoid major surgeries or complex and time-consuming treatments or side effects.

2. Affordable, Non-Surgical Relief for Debilitating Chronic Joint Pain

Dr. Meier and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine in Beverly Hills offer a number of regenerative medicine treatments for chronic joint pain, like prolotherapy, platelet rich plasma (PRP), stem cell injections, and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) injections.

Prolotherapy involves administering injections made up of a dextrose solution that is injected directly into the damaged joint in order to trigger and accelerate the body’s natural healing response.

PRP therapy, or platelet rich plasma therapy is a revolutionary orthopedic treatment option that uses a concentration of the patient’s own blood platelets to help accelerate the healing process for damaged joints, achieve significant improvement in joint function, and reduce chronic pain and other symptoms.

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring gel-like substance found within the joints that helps lubricate the joints and absorb the impact of movements, such as exercise. HA has pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties that, when injected into arthritic or damaged joints, can alleviate joint pain and improve mobility. A series of injections may be necessary over a period of several weeks to achieve the desired outcome.

3. Keeping You Active, Longer

Many people have gained a passing familiarity with stem cell therapy for orthopedic injuries through a beloved sports star or professional team. Treatments like PRP (platelet rich plasma) therapy and prolotherapy injections have been used to help star athletes recover from potentially career-ending injuries, or to help them recover faster after surgery. Whether for a professional baseball player, a weekend warrior training for a triathlon, or a worker suffering from an occupational injury, regenerative medicine holds remarkable promise for effectively treating previously debilitating orthopedic conditions and joint injuries.

Types of Regenerative Therapy Treatments Available for Treating Hip Joint Pain and Injuries

Prolotherapy injections, platelet rich plasma (PRP) treatments, and stem cell therapy are already helping men and women dealing with chronic joint pain, the effects of soft tissue injuries and cartilage deterioration, and the resulting joint damage that can develop when cartilage begins to erode. The goal of regenerative treatments, like prolotherapy and PRP, is to harness the body’s natural healing mechanisms to help push recovery from sports injuries or traumatic accidents into overdrive.

Stem cell therapy uses undifferentiated cells, which can develop into more complex cell types, like cartilage, to help people recover from debilitating conditions. Stem cells can be found throughout the body, such as in fat tissue, bone marrow, and amniotic fluid.

Schedule an Orthopedic Stem Cell Therapy Session in Los Angeles

To learn more about the benefits of minimally-invasive regenerative medicine treatments, like stem cell and prolotherapy injection therapy, for chronic joint pain and soft tissue injuries, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine by calling [phone] to request a consultation today.

Next, read our blog, The 5 Most Painful Hip Conditions.

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The 5 Most Painful Hip Conditions

Like everything in life, pain tends to be relative. A condition or injury that proves excruciating or debilitating for one person may present mild to moderate symptoms in another. For people suffering from hip pain, which is one of the largest and more complex joints, the location and intensity of the pain depends on a number of factors, such as the cause and location of an injury to the hip joint, and on personal factors like age, general health, genetics, and fitness levels. For effective hip treatment, it is crucial to find a board-certified orthopedic surgeon.

Many conditions that may have required invasive surgical hip treatment only several years ago can now be diagnosed and treated with minimally invasive outpatient procedures like hip arthroscopy. With a few small incisions and a surgical arthroscope equipped with a light and a small camera, an orthopedic surgeon can perform a comprehensive joint examination to find the cause of hip pain and mobility problems. Hip arthroscopy can be used to both diagnose and treat common joint problems and is highly effect for hip treatments in Los Angeles.

Common Causes of Acute and Chronic Joint Pain

Arthritis

Arthritis is a category of conditions that cause inflammation, pain, stiffness, and cartilage deterioration in the joints. The most common subtypes of arthritis is a condition called osteoarthritis (OA), which affects millions of Americans each year.

Osteoarthritis results in degeneration and loss of cartilage that protects the gliding surface of bones so that they can move freely without friction and wear within the joint socket. OA can develop naturally with age as a result of normal wear and tear on the hip joint over time, through heredity, or as a side effect of a past traumatic injury in some cases.

Some types of arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are autoimmune disorders that develop when the body mistakes healthy cells and tissue as foreign and issues an immune response, attacking its own cells. There are different forms of arthritis with a range of causes and symptoms according to the severity of each individual patient. General arthritis symptoms include pain, inflammation, redness, stiffness, and mobility problems to the affected joint. To help protect the joint, it is crucial to receive comprehensive hip treatment, such as hip arthroscopy, from a skilled orthopedic surgeon in Los Angeles as soon as possible.

Fractured/Broken Hip

A fractured or broken hip is a serious injury that requires immediate hip treatment in Beverly Hills to prevent serious and potentially life-threatening complications. Older men and women are especially prone to hip fractures as the bones become weakened and more brittle with age, and other factors like balance problems, difficulty walking, and poor vision come into play. The most common source of hip fractures is through trauma from a fall. The most common symptoms include:

Loss of mobility or inability to put weight on the affected leg following traumatic impact from an accident or fall

Excruciating pain around the hip or groin area

Inflammation, stiffness, and bruising

Leg appears shorter or rotates at an angle inside the hip socket

Labral Tear

The hip is a ball and socket joint, which is lined by a layer of protective cartilage known as the labrum. A hip labral tear can cause the ball within the joint socket to slide out of place. Although anyone can suffer from a labral tear inside the joint socket, athletes who perform certain repetitive motions are at a greater risk for this type of injury, such as:

Football

Soccer

Ice hockey

Golf

Ballet

Typical labral tear symptoms include pain and stiffness, “clicking” or “locking” in the affected joint and limited range of motion. A minor labral tear can cause significant pain, so it is crucial to seek professional medical advice at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine in Beverly Hills and to diagnose the tear with a hip arthroscopy and provide comprehensive hip treatment right away.

Dislocation

When the impact caused by trauma or a deformity dislodges a bone from the proper location in the hip socket, it becomes dislocated and requires hip treatment. If the ball in the hip joint slides out from the socket, it will affect mobility and movement in the joint and cause pain until the bones are restored to their proper alignment through skilled hip treatment and care.

Iliopsoas bursitis

The hip contains small fluid filled sacks (similar to vertebral discs in the spine) known as bursae that help to protect the bones in the joint from friction and provide shock absorption. Inflammation of the bursae leads to the condition known as bursitis. Symptoms of iliopsoas bursitis include pain or snapping at the front or side of the joint, tenderness, radiating pain to the knee, lower back, buttocks, and upper quads.

Learn more about bursitis at WebMD.com.

Find an Orthopedic Hip Treatment in Los Angeles

Orthopedic conditions that cause even mild pain can easily interfere with daily life or deter people from enjoying their favorite activities. Fortunately, there are several effective painful hip treatment options available for treating and alleviating painful hip conditions. For more information on minimally invasive options for joint pain diagnosis and treatment, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine by calling [phone] to request a consultation with Dr. Meier today.

Next, How Can Stem Cell Therapy Help in Treating Orthopedic Injuries

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How Can Stem Cell Therapy Help in Treating Orthopedic Injuries?

Millions of Americans suffer from chronic back and joint pain. From disrupting physical routines and the ability to exercise and participate in sports, to interfering with work and everyday activities, living with pain can have a profound impact on a person’s health and quality of life. Although traditional treatment methods like physical therapy, medication, and surgery can provide relief in some cases, they also yield limited or insufficient results for many.

The field of regenerative medicine offers surgical alternatives for many of the most common and debilitating orthopedic injuries and conditions that often result in chronic pain and disability. Orthopedic surgeons have been applying the advancements in tissue engineering technology to treating joint and musculoskeletal conditions in some form for many decades.

One of the first methods used in regenerative therapies began with prolotherapy for ligament weakness and injury. This has been recorded as far back as the 1930s, and modern prolotherapy has been in use for joint injuries since the 1950s, when American physician Dr. George S. Hackett began collaborating with Gustav Anders Hemwall after becoming acquainted at an American Medical Association conference.

What are the Various Forms of Regenerative Medicine Treatments and How Do They Work?

Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon and regenerative medicine expert Dr. Steven Meier and his team at Meier Orthopedic Sports and Regenerative Medicine offer cutting edge prolotherapy, platelet rich plasma (PRP), and stem cell injection therapy for a long list of orthopedic problems, many of which have not responded to or have yielded limited results through other forms of treatment in the past.

To find out if you are a good candidate for regenerative treatments, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports and Regenerative Medicine at 310-777-7845 to schedule a consultation.

Types of Regenerative Medicine Available at Meier Orthopedic Sports Medicine in Beverly Hills

Stem Cell Therapy – Most people have heard of embryonic stem cells, but stem cells are present throughout the body from the time we are born and into adulthood. Stem cells are undifferentiated, meaning they have the potential to develop into more specialized cells throughout the body (such as skin, bone, and connective tissue).

There are a few categories of stem cells – amniotic, adipose (fat tissue), and mesenchymal (found in the bone marrow and some skeletal tissue). There are several advantages to each type of cell, and their use as a minimally invasive, surgical alternative for treating orthopedic problems and sports injuries has been on the rise over the past decade. Call our office at 310-777-7845 to make an appointment for a consultation and to find out which stem cell option would be best for you. Read more about stem cell therapy at WebMD.com.

PRP Treatments – Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has become a treatment of choice among all-star professional athletes suffering from pain and persistent joint injuries and connective tissue strains and tears. A high concentration of platelets, rich in healing growth factors, is prepared at Meier Orthopedic Sports and Regenerative Medicine from a sample of the patient’s own blood, and then administered to the injured joint or tissue through an injection. Like all regenerative medicine treatments, PRP is minimally invasive and works on the principle of accelerating the body’s natural healing mechanisms to supercharge healing and recovery.

Prolotherapy Injection Therapy (Proliferative Therapy) – Prolotherapy is designed to jumpstart and boost the healing process in injured ligaments and tissue by stimulating a response through administering multiple injections of a dextrose-saline solution in specific concentration into or around the tissue requiring treatment. Prolotherapy has been in use for decades to treat laxity in the ligaments and is also believed to help stimulate new collagen production in damaged and painful joints. The goal of prolotherapy is to reduce pain and improve function.

You might be a good candidate for stem cell, prolotherapy, or PRP treatments if you are suffering chronic pain and mobility problems as a result of any of the following orthopedic conditions:

● Back and neck pain

● Degenerative disc disease

● Tendonitis

● Osteoarthritis

● Cartilage tears and degeneration

● Connective tissue strains and tears (muscle, ligaments, tendons)

● Plantar fasciitis

● Runner’s knee

● Tennis and golf elbow

● Whiplash

● Scoliosis

● Bursitis

● Unsuccessful back surgery

● Knee/hip/shoulder pain

● Joint deformities and injuries

In some cases, regenerative injection therapy can also be used as a complement to surgery, to help accelerate healing and minimize the risk of postoperative trauma and side effects, depending on the case. Click the link to read more on regenerative medicine combined with surgery. http://mosm.com/surgery-regenerative-medicine/

Many people become accustomed to pain, and mistakenly dismiss it or accept it as an unavoidable part of life. But any incidence of acute or prolonged pain, especially after trauma, should be examined by an orthopedic surgeon. It may sound counterintuitive, but many people limit or abandon exercise and physical activity when they are in pain, which can in turn cause muscles and joints to stiffen and atrophy, making the problem worse with time.

Stem Cell Injection Therapy in Beverly Hills

If you are suffering from knee, low back, or chronic joint pain due to an injury or orthopedic condition like arthritis, you may be a good candidate for a regenerative treatment. For more information, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports and Regenerative Medicine by calling 310-777-7845 to request a consultation today.

Next, read Good Morning America Anchor Undergoes Total Hip Replacement Surgery

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Good Morning America Anchor Undergoes Total Hip Replacement Surgery

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), more than 2.5 million Americans had undergone some form of hip replacement surgery by 2014. Although traditionally associated with older adults aged 65 and older, the number of younger adults undergoing hip arthroscopy has been increasing in recent years. Statistics show that as many as 10% of candidates for the procedure are now under the age of 50. Lara Spencer, a host on Good Morning America, recently revealed that she underwent a total hip replacement at the age of 47.

Why are Younger Adults Getting Hip Replacement Surgery?

“In my head, I’m 27, so I really waited for a long time before I did anything about it, or told anybody because it sounds like it’s an old person’s problem, and I just couldn’t believe it,” said Spencer. While joint problems and degeneration associated with problems like osteoarthritis are more common with advanced age, everyone is susceptible to damage from a number of sources like traumatic injuries, wear and tear over time and genetic factors. Active adults who exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight are generally not who come to mind when thinking about a prosthetic joint replacement. However, Ms. Spencer leads an athletic lifestyle, with a background in competitive diving and recreational tennis.

While it may seem counterintuitive, more and more orthopedic surgeons are treating patients that fit Ms. Spencer’s profile, namely young, active, and otherwise healthy adults.

Spencer admitted to suffering from chronic pain, and to a genetic predisposition to joint deterioration, which is most likely the primary underlying cause of her hip condition. Like many younger and middle-aged adults, she admits to having put off hip treatment, which often makes the problem worse when it comes to joint degeneration and orthopedic injuries.

Following her treatment, Ms. Spencer is giving away her cane to one lucky viewer in need of assistance.

What is the Difference Between Total and Partial Hip Replacement Surgery?

The most common reason that people suffer problems is through the progressive damage from arthritis. Arthritis is one of the most common conditions of aging and affects millions of Americans each year. Other factors like genetics and heredity, and trauma from an injury can increase the risk of developing arthritis.

The hip is one of the most complex joints in the body and can be restored with a partial or total hip replacement depending on the extent and cause of the hip damage.

A partial replacement (also known as a hemiarthroplasty) is performed to replace a damaged femoral head, or the ball portion of the socket (the hip is what is known as a ball and joint socket). The damaged bone, cartilage, and tissue is removed and replaced with a prosthetic. With this procedure, the remaining healthy portion of the hip joint is left intact.

In a total hip replacement procedure, the socket portion of the joint (acetabulum) is also replaced. This is the most common treatment for bone disease and degeneration, which tends to affect both the ball and socket, making it necessary to replace both. Partial hip replacement is appropriate when a fracture only affects one part of the joint.

Benefits of Hip Surgery

Most people who undergo surgery have been living with chronic pain for months or years, and have had limited or insignificant results from more conservative treatments like rest, medication, and physical therapy. Pain can disrupt a person’s overall quality of life and even lead to additional health problems, disrupting the ability to eat, exercise, and sleep.

Life After Total Hip Arthroscopy

For active people like Lara Spencer who suffer from chronic pain, hip surgery can both restore eventual mobility and functionality to the hip, as well as improve the overall quality of life by relieving the pain caused by the damaged joint. The duration and intensity of the rehabilitation and recovery process varies from patient to patient, but generally, involves three to six months of physical therapy and strength training exercises.

How Young is Too Young For Joint Replacement Surgery?

As Lara Spencer pointed out in discussing her condition and upcoming surgery, even young, healthy, and physically fit adults can suffer from chronic hip pain and joint problems resulting from trauma, joint degeneration, or genetics. People, particularly women, in their 40s and 50s are increasingly undergoing some form of artificial joint replacement procedure. Rather than focusing solely on age, Dr. Steven Meier recommends monitoring symptoms and seeking treatment as soon as possible for any symptoms that persist for more than a few weeks, and do not respond to conservative treatment methods like rest and over the counter medication. Orthopedic injuries in childhood and early adulthood can sometimes lead to arthritis years or even decades after the initial hip injury, increasing the risk of joint damage and deterioration.

Hip Surgery and Injury Treatment in Beverly Hills

If you are suffering from chronic hip pain and problems with movement and mobility, contact Meier Orthopedic Sports and Regenerative Medicine by calling 310.777.7845 or filling out our online contact form to schedule a consultation today.

Next, read When Should You Consider Hip Surgery?

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