Medical Review: Dr. Gerald Mastaw, MD – Board-Certified Physician
Last Updated: October 2025
What Are Tendon Injuries?
Tendons are strong, flexible cords that connect your muscles to your bones, helping your body move smoothly and efficiently.
When a tendon becomes overworked, irritated, or torn, it can lead to pain, stiffness, and swelling, a condition often referred to as tendinopathy.
Common Tendon Injuries
- Shoulder: Rotator cuff tears or tendinitis
- Elbow: Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Knee: Patellar tendon issues or “jumper’s knee”
- Ankle/Achilles: Achilles tendinitis or tears
Tendon problems can develop gradually through repetitive strain or suddenly from acute injury.
Standard Treatment Options
Doctors often begin with conservative care to reduce inflammation and promote gradual healing.
Common Approaches
- Rest and activity modification
- Physical therapy and stretching
- Ice and anti-inflammatory medications
- Cortisone injections for short-term relief
- Surgery for severe or chronic tendon tears
While these treatments can help manage pain, they don’t always address the root cause, the tendon’s structural damage, and recovery can be slow or incomplete.
Regenerative Medicine for Tendon Healing
Regenerative medicine takes a different approach, focusing on repairing and rebuilding the tendon instead of only easing symptoms.
Therapies such as umbilical cord tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCT-MSCs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are designed to activate the body’s own repair processes.
How It Works
- PRP delivers concentrated growth factors that stimulate healing
- Stem cells from umbilical cord tissue may reduce inflammation and regrow healthy tendon fibers
- These biologics can improve blood flow and cell signaling, encouraging the tendon to repair itself
Potential Benefits
- Reduced pain and swelling
- Stronger, more flexible tendon tissue
- Improved range of motion and strength
- Faster recovery compared to standard care
- Less dependence on medications or repeat injections
Note: PRP and stem cell therapies for tendon injuries are not FDA-approved and are considered investigational, though growing evidence supports their safety and potential benefit.
Recent Clinical Studies on Regenerative Treatments for Tendon Injuries
2025 – PRP vs Cortisone for Tendinopathy (Meta-Analysis of 27 Trials)
Title: Platelet-rich plasma and corticosteroid injection for tendinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Date: April 25, 2025
Link: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Summary:
Across nearly 1,800 patients, PRP injections offered longer-lasting pain relief and better function than cortisone. While steroids worked faster initially, their effects faded. PRP’s benefits persisted for 3–6 months and beyond, making it a safer and more effective long-term option for tendon recovery.
2025 – PRP vs Steroids for Tennis Elbow
Title: Platelet rich plasma versus corticosteroids for lateral epicondylitis: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Date: February 10, 2025
Link: PubMed Central
Summary:
Reviewing 26 RCTs with nearly 1,900 patients, researchers found PRP provided superior long-term pain reduction and grip strength in tennis elbow compared to cortisone. Steroids gave short-term relief only. No major side effects were observed, confirming PRP’s safety and durability.
2021 – PRP vs Cortisone for Partial Rotator Cuff Tears
Title: Comparison of a Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection and a Conventional Steroid Injection for Pain Relief and Functional Improvement of Partial Supraspinatus Tears
Date: September 1, 2021
Link: PubMed
Summary:
This trial compared PRP and cortisone for shoulder tendon tears. By 6 months, the PRP group showed much greater pain reduction and shoulder mobility than the steroid group. Cortisone’s benefits faded, but PRP’s effects continued improving tendon health over time, with no adverse events reported.
2019 – PRP vs Steroid for Tennis Elbow (7 Trials, 515 Patients)
Title: Comparison of platelet rich plasma and corticosteroids in the management of lateral epicondylitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Date: May 22, 2019
Link: PubMed
Summary:
This meta-analysis showed PRP significantly outperformed corticosteroids at 6 months for pain and function improvement. Steroid benefits were short-lived, while PRP provided sustained relief and tendon regeneration. The study supports PRP as a preferred treatment for long-term recovery in elbow tendinopathy.
Is Regenerative Therapy Right for You?
You may be a good candidate if you:
- Have chronic tendon pain that hasn’t improved with standard care
- Want to avoid or delay surgery
- Seek a natural, cell-based approach that supports tissue healing
- Value treatments focused on repair rather than symptom control
At Stemedix, we carefully evaluate your history, imaging, and goals to determine if regenerative options such as PRP or umbilical cord–derived MSC therapy are appropriate for your recovery.
Medical Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes and not medical advice.
PRP and stem cell therapies for tendon injuries are investigational and not FDA-approved.
Results vary by patient. Always consult a licensed provider before treatment.
References
- Platelet-rich plasma and corticosteroid injection for tendinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2025.
- Platelet rich plasma versus corticosteroids for lateral epicondylitis: meta-analysis of RCTs. PubMed Central, 2025.
- Comparison of PRP vs steroid injection for partial supraspinatus tears. PubMed, 2021.
- PRP vs corticosteroids in lateral epicondylitis: meta-analysis of RCTs. PubMed, 2019.