Medical Review: Dr. Gerald Mastaw, MD – Board-Certified Physician
Last Updated: October 2025
Why Knee Pain Happens
Your knee joint is one of the body’s most complex and hard-working joints — where your thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella) meet, supported by strong ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.
Because it absorbs so much pressure during daily movement, it’s also one of the most commonly injured joints.
Common Knee Problems Include:
- Ligament injuries such as ACL, MCL, or PCL tears
- Meniscus tears (cartilage cushion damage)
- Cartilage degeneration or osteoarthritis
- Tendon strains or partial tears
- Fractures or post-surgical pain
Typical Causes
- Sudden impact or twisting during sports
- Repetitive stress from daily activity
- Gradual wear-and-tear with age
- Falls, trauma, or prior surgery
When your knee is injured or inflamed, symptoms can include:
- Sharp or aching pain
- Swelling and stiffness
- Locking, catching, or popping
- Weakness or instability
- Pain that worsens with walking, stairs, or sitting
Traditional Treatment Options
Conventional treatments are designed to reduce pain and inflammation, allowing the body to heal naturally or prepare for surgery if needed.
First-Line Treatments Often Include:
- Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (RICE)
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Physical therapy and strengthening exercises
- Knee braces or sleeves for joint support
- Activity modification and weight management
Surgical Options (for Severe Damage):
- Arthroscopy to remove or repair damaged tissue
- Ligament reconstruction (ACL, MCL, or meniscus repair)
- Cartilage restoration procedures
- Partial or total knee replacement
While effective, these procedures can involve long recovery times and may not fully restore natural joint tissue.
Regenerative Medicine: A New Approach to Knee Repair
Rather than simply managing symptoms, regenerative medicine focuses on stimulating your body’s own healing processes.
The goal is to repair and restore damaged tissues, not just mask pain.
1. Stem Cell Therapy
- Uses the body’s own repair cells, or donor umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCT-MSCs), to promote regeneration.
- Cells are processed under sterile, compliant conditions and injected directly into the knee.
- May help repair cartilage, tendons, and ligaments while reducing inflammation.
2. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
- Uses concentrated platelets and growth factors from your own blood.
- Delivered directly into the joint or injury site.
- Supports natural healing, inflammation control, and tissue remodeling.
Reported Benefits (Based on Clinical Studies):
- Reduced pain and swelling
- Improved flexibility and joint movement
- Enhanced recovery time after injury
- Minimally invasive, with little to no downtime
- May help delay or avoid knee replacement
Note: Stem cell and PRP therapies are not yet FDA-approved for knee osteoarthritis or injury. They remain investigational, but growing clinical evidence supports their safety and potential efficacy.
Recent Clinical Studies on Regenerative Therapies for Knee Conditions
2025 – UC-MSC Exosomes Reduce Inflammation and Support Cartilage Repair
Title: Injection of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis
Journal: PMC – Full Text
Summary:
Patients with knee osteoarthritis received intra-articular injections of umbilical cord-derived MSC exosomes (healing vesicles).
All participants tolerated treatment well with no major side effects. MRI scans and clinical scores showed less inflammation and improved cartilage quality, confirming that UC-MSC exosomes safely support cartilage regeneration.
2025 – PRP Combined with HA Reduces Bone Inflammation
Title: Clinical Efficacy of PRP and Hyaluronic Acid vs. HA Alone for Knee Osteoarthritis
Journal: MDPI – Journal of Clinical Medicine – Full Text
Summary:
In this Singapore trial (58 knees), patients received either HA alone or HA + PRP.
Both improved pain and function, but the PRP+HA group had less bone marrow inflammation on MRI at 12 months, suggesting enhanced joint protection and tissue stability with PRP supplementation.
2025 – Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Injection Outperforms Steroid Treatment
Title: Efficacy of a Single Dose of Cryopreserved UC-MSCs vs. Corticosteroid Injection for Knee OA
Journal: PubMed – Full Text
Summary:
Thirty patients were randomized to receive either a single UC-MSC injection (CellistemOA) or a steroid injection.
After one year, the UC-MSC group had greater improvements in pain, stiffness, and mobility, with no adverse events.
Researchers concluded that UC-MSC therapy was both safe and superior to corticosteroids for symptom relief in knee OA.
2024 – HA + Growth Hormone + Stem Cells Improve Function
Title: Evaluating Synergistic Effects of HA, UC-MSCs, and Growth Hormones in Knee Osteoarthritis
Journal: MDPI – Biomedicines – Full Text
Summary:
Fifty-one patients were treated with different combinations of HA, UC-MSCs, and growth hormone.
All groups reported significant pain and function improvement (WOMAC and VAS scores) at 12 months, with no major safety issues.
Although cartilage regrowth on MRI was limited, the combined regenerative therapy safely improved mobility and comfort.
2023 – PRP Meta-Analysis Confirms Pain Reduction
Title: Efficacy and Safety of PRP for Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Journal: Frontiers in Medicine – Full Text
Summary:
Across 24 randomized trials (1,344 patients), PRP significantly reduced pain and improved knee function compared to other non-surgical treatments.
The authors concluded that PRP therapy “can safely and effectively improve functional activity in patients with knee OA.”
2023 – Repeated UC-MSC Injections Improve Function
Title: Repeated Intra-Articular Injections of Umbilical Cord MSCs for Knee Osteoarthritis: Phase I Trial
Journal: PMC – Full Text
Summary:
Fourteen patients received weekly UC-MSC knee injections for four weeks.
All participants reported significant pain reduction (VAS: 6.0 → 3.5) and better function (WOMAC: 26.0 → 8.5) with no serious adverse effects.
Researchers found that repeated UC-MSC therapy was safe, well-tolerated, and led to consistent improvements across all subjects.
Could Regenerative Therapy Be Right for You?
Regenerative medicine may be worth considering if you:
- Have chronic knee pain unrelieved by standard care
- Are managing osteoarthritis, meniscus tears, or ligament injuries
- Want to delay or avoid joint replacement
- Prefer a non-surgical, biologic approach to healing
Best Candidates Often Have:
- Realistic expectations and a willingness to follow rehab protocols
- Stable general health
- Commitment to maintaining post-treatment mobility and joint care
At Stemedix, our clinicians develop customized regenerative care plans that may include PRP, MSCs, or combined therapies, all grounded in scientific research and delivered under physician supervision.
Medical Disclaimer
This page is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.
Stem cell and PRP therapies are investigational and not FDA-approved for knee pain or osteoarthritis.
Outcomes vary between individuals. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before undergoing treatment.
References
- Wu J. et al. UC-MSC Exosomes for Knee OA. PMC., 2025. Full Text
- Tan S. et al. PRP + HA vs. HA for Knee OA. J Clin Med., 2025. Full Text
- Medina R. et al. Cryopreserved UC-MSCs vs. Steroid for Knee OA. PubMed., 2025. Full Text
- Rahman A. et al. HA + UC-MSCs + GH in Knee OA. Biomedicines., 2024. Full Text
- Zhang Y. et al. PRP for Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review. Front Med., 2023. Full Text
- Lee H. et al. Repeated UC-MSC Injections for Knee OA. PMC., 2023. Full Text
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