CONDITIONS

Regenerative Medicine
Alternative to Knee Replacement Surgery

Heal Naturally with Regenerative Therapies

What Is Osteoarthritis
Of The Knee?

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a progressive condition that causes aching pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility in the knee. Because OA is a degenerative disease due to wear and tear of the joint cartilage, symptoms gradually worsen.

Musculoskeletal joint conditions are extremely prevalent in the US. Osteoarthritis is the most common of the dozens of forms of arthritis. OA can affect any joint but is extremely prevalent in the knees.

The knee being the largest joint in the body is also one of the strongest (See Figure 1). It’s composed of three bones: the bottom part of the thighbone (the femur); the top part of the shinbone (tibia); and a large, round bone that covers and protects the joint (the patella or kneecap). The ends of these bones are lined in a smooth protective material called articular cartilage that acts like a shock absorber and helps the bones to move easily past each other while the body is in motion.

Figure 1. Depiction of a normal knee joint. Note the amount of joint space and smooth surface of the articular cartilage in the normal knee. (right) Depiction of osteoarthritic knee with articular cartilage loss, bone spurs, and narrowing of the joint space.

Causes, Signs And Symptoms

What causes knee osteoarthritis?The ultimate cause of knee pain and other osteoarthritis symptoms is often bone-on-bone friction as the cartilage begins to erode (See Figure 2). Over time, cartilage may wear away completely, leaving the joint vulnerable to permanent damage.

Figure 2. Phases of Osteoarthritic Knee Degeneration (knee osteoarthritis pictures).

(A) Black arrows point to the joint space between the femur and tibia in a healthy knee.

(B) Osteophyte formation is denoted by the white arrow marking the beginning of clinically graded osteoarthritis.

(C) Joint space gradually lessens with disease progression ultimately leading to D) a near complete loss of joint space in severe osteoarthritis, denoted by black arrows.

What are the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis?

Pain from Knee OA may be experienced as a dull chronic pain that worsens after activity. In severe cases, the pain may become debilitating, limiting mobility, and preventing normal daily activities.

Patients with arthritis in the knee may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Joint pain, bone on bone knee pain
Swollen knee, redness
Stiffness
Instability
Immobility
Crepitus (crackling, popping, or squeaking sounds emanating from the joint)

What are the risk factors for developing knee osteoarthritis?

Age is the biggest risk factor for OA which is most common in adults 50 years and older, although trauma to the joint due to accidents or sports injuries are also significant risk factors across age groups.

The following are the major risk factors for knee osteoarthritis:

Age. Years of wear and tear in addition to changes in the cells and extracellular matrix of joint tissues that occur with aging increase the susceptibility of an older adult to OA.
Sex. Women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, this may be due to age-related nutritional deficiencies and/or hormonal changes.
Obesity. Being overweight places excess burden on the body’s joints and may increase the pace of cartilage degeneration.
Repeated stress on the joint. Repetitive activities involving the knee can lead to more wear and tear. Athletes and those whose job activities require repetitive movements often suffer from OA.
Genetics. There is a higher risk of developing OA if it runs in the family.
Bone deformities. Misaligned joints due to abnormal bone structure increase the stress at the joint and may contribute to OA.
Metabolic diseases. Changes in the mineral content and health of the tissues and bone in the knee joint increases the risk for OA.

How is knee osteoarthritis diagnosed?

Patients are seen in our California-based clinic where our specialists will base their diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis using a multipronged approach:

Medical History: Our doctors will ask you about the nature of your knee pain (e.g., when and under what conditions you experience knee pain). They will ask about prior surgeries, accidents, and trauma to the knee.
Physical Exam: The doctor will check for signs of trauma by testing the range of motion and listening for any cracking or popping noises (crepitus) or tenderness/pain, bruising, and swelling.
X-rays/Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): X-rays provide clear, detailed images of the knee joint and may reveal bone spurs or narrowing of the joint, the classic hallmark for diagnosing osteoarthritis of the knee. Sometimes MRIs will be required to determine the extent of damage to the knee.
Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves can create real-time images to assess the degree of inflammation or accumulation of fluid around the joint. Fluid can be tested to rule out other diseases (e.g., gout, rheumatoid arthritis in knee cap, or infections).

Treatment Options

How are knee meniscus tears treated?
The StemX clinic offers a range of customized Regenerative Medicine treatments to treat orthopedic injuries.

The StemX Approach

StemX is California’s leading provider of holistic and regenerative medicine services. Our experts don’t just offer popular treatments, but customized medical solutions based on individual needs.

Located in Solana Beach, California, the StemX clinic is composed of a team of expert doctors with years of experience administering regenerative medicine treatments for joint disease. Our team has:

How To Get Started

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Consultation:

Our California-based clinic intake team will match you to the appropriate provider with the expertise to treat your injury and schedule an exam.

Initial Exam:

Your doctor will take your medical history and facts surrounding your injury/complaint, conduct a physical exam, and order imaging tests (X-rays, MRI’s, etc.).

Treatment determination:

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Mark your calendar:

A date will be set for your procedure, and you will be given instructions on how to prepare for your appointment.

Treatment Procedure

While each treatment may be customized, you can expect your experience to be similar to the following:

Frequently Asked Questions

Typical symptoms include joint pain (bone on bone), swelling, redness, stiffness, instability, immobility, or crepitus (crackling, popping, or squeaking sounds).

While it is a progressive degenerative disease, symptoms can be managed and tissue repair stimulated through regenerative medicine.

It often feels like a dull chronic pain that worsens after activity. In severe cases, it can become debilitating and limit mobility.

Regenerative treatments like Wharton’s Jelly, amniotic fluid allografts, growth factors, and PRP are used alongside physical therapy for long-lasting results without side effects.

StemX offers natural, non-surgical procedures to repair and rebuild joints and cartilage, often in as little as one treatment with minimal downtime.

Patients can often avoid surgery through regenerative medicine approaches and activity modification, though some severe conditions may still require surgical intervention.

Yes. Many studies have shown that regenerative medicine can work better in the long term than steroid injections or NSAIDs for severe arthritis.

It includes treatments like Wharton’s Jelly and PRP that are natural and stimulate the body’s own healing and growth of healthy tissue.

Up to 75% of StemX patients experience dramatically reduced pain and increased function.

Treatments involve a simple injection with a local anesthetic. While some soreness may occur immediately after, most patients experience little to no downtime.

Improvement can be seen in as little as 3 weeks, with maximum effects appearing between 6–9 months as the body heals.

Risks are minimal and rare, though they can include allergies to injection components or infection at the injection site.

Approximately 70% of patients are good candidates. Disqualifiers may include severe cases requiring surgery, specific allergies, or certain implants.

Yes, chondrocyte cells can be stimulated to repair damaged cartilage, though it cannot be regrown once it is completely gone.

Regenerative MedicineAlternative to Knee Replacement Surgery