Stem Cell Therapy for Sports Medicine
A primary focus when you suffer a sports injury is to recover as quickly as possible. Lengthy rehab time and invasive surgeries can disrupt your season or keep you from training altogether. Many athletes are exploring stem cell therapy as a viable option for treatment of athletic injuries. Stem cell therapy shows great promise as an alternative to traditional treatments for injuries such as damaged knees, degenerated cartilage, and torn ligaments, but it’s not currently considered the standard of care for these conditions.
At ViviStem, we want to provide athletes, sports enthusiasts, and anyone suffering from sports injuries nationwide with an unbiased look at how regenerative medicine can work for you. We provide easy-to-read information about how stem cells function in the body, the latest scientific advances, and what current research shows regarding treating cartilage, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and bone injuries. While we offer some of the most advanced treatment options for sports injuries at ViviStem, it’s important to understand that stem cell therapy for sports injuries will not be covered by insurance and is considered experimental by most sports medicine physicians. The FDA has not approved any orthopedic or sports injury-related stem cell products, so these treatments are considered investigational. The Food and Drug Administration has even warned consumers about undergoing stem cell therapies. Stem cell therapy has been shown to have unproven safety and benefit, as well as safety concerns and regulatory risks. More research and clinical trials are needed to fully understand the long-term safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy for athletic injuries. We take great pride in providing streamlined, world-class care to our patients, and that commitment is evident at our state-of-the-art stem cell treatment center in Mexico. Athletes traveling to receive care can expect specialized attention crafted around getting you back in the game and recovering fully.
Our Focus Areas in Sports Medicine
Your safety and optimum outcome are the foundation of every stem cell treatment we offer. The process is designed to guide athletes and active individuals through their treatment with straightforward, world-class care at an affordable price. Patients have access to all of our treatment protocols at our advanced treatment center in Mexico. Here’s what to expect when you visit us:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will stem cell therapy help me recover faster?
Stem cell therapy shows promise at reducing recovery time for sports injuries. Many athletes can return to their sport within 6-12 weeks after receiving stem cell therapy. You can expect some soreness at the injection site for a few days after treatment. But pain relief and functional improvement is typically noticed within 1-3 months after treatment.
Is stem cell therapy for sports injuries safe?
Is stem cell therapy better than PRP?
Stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy are different treatments that can have benefits in helping your body recover from injury. Stem cell therapy uses your body’s undifferentiated cells to promote healing. Doctors use PRP therapy to concentrate the platelets in your blood so they can release healing growth factors at the injury site. Current research suggests that stem cell therapy and PRP may offer comparable benefits for certain conditions, or can be used together as supplemental treatments, depending on your specific injury and needs.
How much does stem cell therapy cost for sports injuries?
The total cost of stem cell therapy depends on the specifics of your treatment. Harvesting stem cells from your fat tissue is less expensive than harvesting them from your bone marrow. You’ll also pay less if you only need one injection versus multiple injections during your treatment. Costs can range from $3,000-$10,000 for stem cell therapy for sports injuries.
What injuries can stem cells help heal?
Can kids receive stem cell treatment for sports injuries?
Children can become injured playing sports just like adults. But because of their age, we take extra precautions to help make your child comfortable during their treatment. We work with parents to establish a treatment plan that makes them feel comfortable and helps them know that their child is in good hands.
How long do you have to wait after injury to receive stem cell therapy?
You should never rush into treatment without being absolutely certain it’s what you want. There is no official timetable for waiting before receiving stem cell therapy. But your doctor may recommend waiting until the injury stops actively bleeding before administering an injection.
Will I feel pain during stem cell treatment?
We use local anesthesia to numb you during the stem cell harvesting and injection process. You may experience some mild to moderate pain in the area of your injection, but this should subside a few days after your treatment.
Can stem cells help me avoid surgery?
Stem cell therapy has been used to help athletes avoid orthopedic surgery. Many sports injuries can be treated effectively with stem cell therapy, including torn ligaments and cartilage damage. If your injury is still responding to stem cell treatments, you may be able to avoid surgery.