Medical Orthobiological Therapy

What are orthobiological injections?

Orthobiological injections are a type of treatment that uses biological substances to promote healing and tissue regeneration in musculoskeletal injuries or conditions. The goal is to stimulate the body's natural healing process by delivering substances that can enhance tissue repair and reduce inflammation. These injections typically contain natural or derived substances, such as:

1. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): This involves extracting a patient's own blood, processing it to concentrate the platelets, and then injecting the platelet-rich plasma into the area of injury. Platelets contain growth factors and PRP concentrates them at a rate up to 10x higher than what your body can normally achieve. Those growth factors promote healing and drive new cell growth which are vital to the regenerative healing process.

2. Stem Cells: Stem cells can differentiate into various types of cells (e.g., cartilage, bone, or muscle cells) and support the healing of damaged tissues. One popular version utilizes tissue derived from donated umbilical tissue and amniotic fluid. These contain stem cells, growth factors, and other healing properties that can support tissue regeneration. Stem cells are known for their ability to receive instructions from your body and become a variety of different types of cells, resulting in a rapid ability to help heal damaged tissues. To learn more about stem cells, visit our mesenchymal stem cell information page.

3. Prolotherapy: This involves injecting a solution (usually containing dextrose) into damaged or weakened tissues, which stimulates the body's inflammatory healing response and can strengthen ligaments and tendons.

Orthobiological injections are commonly used to treat conditions like osteoarthritis, tendonitis, ligament injuries, cartilage damage, and other musculoskeletal issues. They are often considered when treatments such as physical therapy or surgery, are not effective, not expected to be effective enough alone, or not desirable. They excel at promoting faster healing and reducing or eliminating the need for more invasive procedures.

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​What conditions might benefit from orthobiologics?

Nearly every type of musculoskeletal condition could benefit from orthobiologics. The team at Bayshore Medical Group often uses PRP and/or human cellular tissue product injections for joint pain, arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, rotator cuff tears, and many other sports injuries.

Orthobiologics is also a good option to consider if you injure tissues that have a poor blood supply or your injury is extensive or severe.

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What should I expect during orthobiologic injections?

There are two keys to successful human cellular tissue product injections. First, the injection needs to contain a concentrated amount of cells to ensure optimal results.

The second factor is using ultrasound imaging to guide the needle’s placement. With real-time imaging, your provider can see the needle and make sure the injection is deposited precisely at the injured tissues.

To learn if you’re a good candidate for regenerative medicine, call Bayshore Medical Group or fill out our form online.

 

Human cellular tissue product injections

Human cellular tissue products self-replicate, splitting in half to produce new cells. Then the new cells develop into the tissues needed to support the repair of your joint, including ligaments, tendons, muscles, and cartilage

Your joint injection may contain PRP, human cellular tissue products, or both, depending on the underlying problem. As they promote healing, your pain lessens.

The medical team at Bayshore Medical Group often injects PRP and/or human cellular tissue products for patients with arthritis. However, this type of injection may trigger healing and diminish pain caused by any type of joint injury.

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What should I expect during a joint pain injection? 

You may need to stop taking certain medications; otherwise, there’s little preparation for a joint injection. Before your procedure, your provider administers a topical anesthetic so your injection won’t cause pain.

If the injection targets your hip, knee, or joints in your foot, you may need to avoid placing excessive weight on that leg for several days. However, you’ll receive detailed care instructions after your procedure is finished.

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If you struggle with joint pain, call Bayshore Medical Group or fill out our form to schedule an appointment.