Regenerative medicine is an innovative treatment approach that harnesses your body's own ability to heal damaged tissue. At NewYork-Presbyterian, our physiatrists (regenerative medicine physicians) are experts in the injection of regenerative treatments to relieve pain and speed the healing of chronic tendon, ligament, muscle, and joint injuries and conditions.
How Do Regenerative Treatments Work?
The body has an amazing capacity to heal itself. When an injury occurs, a natural healing process begins to repair the damaged tissue. The body signals platelets and other blood components to migrate to the site of injury to initiate and promote healing. Some tissues, however, such as joint cartilage and tendons, have less blood flow and may not heal completely. Regenerative medicine treatments may be injected directly into injured tissue to accelerate healing. They can also help reduce pain, promote increased strength and overall function, and sometimes eliminate the need for other treatments, such as surgery or prolonged use of medications.
Who May Benefit from Regenerative Medicine?
Our regenerative medicine physicians use regenerative medicine to treat a broad range of conditions in adults—from athletes of all levels to those with degenerative joints—as part a comprehensive care plan tailored to each patient. It may be considered in people with musculoskeletal injuries or osteoarthritis who are not responding to standard treatments such as rest, physical therapy, medications, or steroid injections (such as cortisone) and in people seeking an alternative to surgery. We have experience using regenerative medicine to treat people with:
- Tendon injuries
- Ligament pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Meniscal tears in the knee
- Labral tears in the hip or shoulder
- Muscle tears
Furthering the Field through Research
Our investigators are conducting research to expand the applications of regenerative therapies, including clinical trials and other research projects assessing innovative uses of these emerging therapies. Rehabilitation medicine faculty members are also part of the Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, which is exploring the potential of stem cells for regenerative therapies.