Biologic Treatments for Knee & Leg

What is Biologic therapy for Knee & Leg? The biological treatment for the knee and leg help provide some relief to many people. Today, knee pain is a widespread condition that negatively impacts the lives of many people around the world. This health condition can limit movement, especially when it comes to the daily load that your legs have to bear. In extreme cases, knee pain can lower your quality of life significantly.

Currently, knee biologic therapy can potentially treat osteoarthritis (OA). With OA, the cartilage responsible for providing cover at the ends of your bones deteriorates and wears away gradually. Your bones start to rub against each other once this vital protective covering is gone. As a result, pain, stiffness, and swelling take effect, causing loss of mobility and function. 

You can manage these symptoms through weight loss, frequent exercise, lifestyle modification, and medical treatments. In case your symptoms become severe, you may need to consider a total biologic replacement for knees or rather undergo biologic knee surgery.

Biologic injections for knees

When walking, the bones that make up your knee slide against one another smoothly with slight friction. This is attributed to the cartilage’s ability to cover both ends of your bones within the knee. 

However, OA can damage the cartilage, leading to increased incidents of friction when moving around. This friction results in pain, inflammation, swelling, and ultimately loss of function and mobility. To overcome this problem, it is wise to seek medical intervention at the right time. Dr. Charles E. Stewart at Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine can quickly and effectively handle your case to help you lead a normal lifestyle.

In the real sense, biologic therapy for the knee utilizes the body’s healing mechanisms. The process helps repair or slow down the degeneration process of your body tissues, including cartilage. The main idea behind biologic therapy for knees is to slow or repair damaged cartilage, reduce inflammation, decrease pain, and delay or prevent knee replacement surgery.

Studies have shown that biologic therapy for the knee can improve arthritis symptoms. Even though the overall outcome for this treatment option is promising, additional research is necessary to show how it works, how long the results last, how often patients will need the treatment, and the correct dosage for treating this condition.

How Biologic Treatment Can Help Knee & Leg Pain

Naturally, your body manufactures stem cells inside the bone marrow. Depending on certain conditions or signals within your body, stem cells can be directed to places that are needed the most. 

Stem cells are immature, basic cells that are not developed enough to become particular types of cells, such as nerves cells, muscles cells, or skin cells. Different types of stem cells are all over your body, and each type performs its own unique role. This explains why biologics play a critical role in treating leg and knee pain. 

There is overwhelming evidence suggesting that biologic treatment works by simply triggering damaged tissues to repair themselves in what is commonly known as regenerative therapy. Compared to knee replacement surgery, biologic therapy provides quicker results with a faster recovery rate. Contact Dr. Charles E. Stewart at Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine to get the right treatment for your knee and leg surgery.

Biologic Therapy – Knee Repair vs. Knee Surgery?

You are advised to consider biologic therapy if you experience regular knee pain from osteoarthritis, bone-to-bone arthritis, previous orthopedic knee surgery, or a knee injury. Biologic therapy is highly recommended, especially if you are leading an active and demanding lifestyle. It is also a great option if you want to do away with knee surgery. 

On the other hand, knee surgery is an invasive medical procedure that may raise great concerns about the complications brought about by anesthesia. The surgical procedure itself is somehow impactful on your physical well-being.

 With that being said, you need to opt for biologic therapy since it is a safe and effective option. Biologic therapy also reduces knee pain while improving mobility without the need for surgery. 

Consult with Dr. Charles E. Stewart at Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine about biologic therapy. Dr. Stewart is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with many years of experience. He is also fellowship-trained in adult reconstruction.   Dr. Charles Stewart uses minimally invasive surgical methods to perform procedures that include arthroscopic surgery.

Biologic therapy relies on your body’s natural ability to heal itself. The process is less invasive compared to traditional orthopedic surgery. Basically, biologic treatment for knees does not require anesthesia, has a quicker recovery time, and has no downtime. Plus, this medical procedure is effective. 

Some doctors have reported spectacular success in reducing symptoms associated with osteoarthritis, knee injuries, and other types of arthritis thanks to biologic therapy. This option has also dramatically improved mobility and reduced pain among different patients.

How Does Biologic Therapy Work?

Mesenchymal stem cells or MSCs are the main cells used in the treatment of knee joint problems. Physicians isolate the MSCs to find the right quantity before preparing biological injections. 

The prepared biologics are then injected into the affected knee to deliver the much-needed cells to the area. These cells start rebuilding and repairing the damaged tissue around the knee.

Typically, the MSCs exert some positive therapeutic effects in the tissue environment. These cells also reduce inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) while positively impacting your immune system function.

The Biologic Therapy Treatment Process

Biologic injections for the knee involve a few procedures. In this regard, your physician will take a small blood sample from your arm to concentrate the biologics together. The physician will proceed to inject the concentrated biologics into your knee. 

What to expect after Biologic Therapy treatment

Here is what to expect following your biologic therapy treatment: 

• After biologic knee cartilage repair, the treated area will remain numb for about 2 to 6 hours. Therefore, you must not do strenuous activities. At the same time, continue moving the affected area in order to reduce stiffness and soreness. 
• Once the anesthesia’s effect decreases, you may start doing normal activities depending on the level of pain and your tolerance. Your physician may even restrict the amount of weight to bear following a knee treatment. 
• You should also expect some pain, stiffness, and soreness for about five days after biologic knee replacement. The first inflammation phase may last around seven days, while the second phase can take up to two weeks. 
• You may experience some fever following your biological therapy for the knees. If the fever gets out of control, contact your physician as soon as possible.
• Never take any anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin, Aleve, or ibuprofen while you are still on biologic wave therapy for the knees. Instead, use Extra-Strength Tylenol after every four to six hours to relieve pain. 
• The biologics injected into your knee may stay active for about three months. It will take you about 12 months for the collagen to regenerate and heal the affected areas completely.

 At the moment, biological treatment for knees remains costly for most patients, but experts are cautiously optimistic that one day this form of treatment will become affordable and practical to many people worldwide. For more information about this form of treatment, contact Sforzo l Dillingham l Stewart Sports Medicine + Sports Medicine to schedule your appointment with one of their orthopedic surgeons.