Stem Cell Therapy: A Complete Guide to Bone Marrow Concentrate

Stem Cell Therapy (BMAC): What the Evidence Shows

If you live in Gilbert or anywhere in the Phoenix East Valley and you have been told joint replacement is the only option left for your knee, hip, or shoulder, or that surgery is the only answer for your spine pain, this guide to non-surgical stem cell therapy for chronic joint, tendon, and spine pain is for you. It explains what bone marrow "stem cell" therapy actually does, who it helps, who it does not, and what more than 340 cases in our patient outcome registry show.

Stem cell therapy at Regenerative Performance uses concentrated cells from your own bone marrow (bone marrow aspirate concentrate, or BMAC) to support tissue repair in damaged joints, tendons, ligaments, and spinal structures. It is a non-surgical treatment, ultrasound-guided for joints and tendons and fluoroscopically guided for spinal structures. Rather than embryonic cells or an off-the-shelf product, this is your own biology, concentrated and injected precisely where your body needs it.

BMAC stem cell therapy is the most involved regenerative treatment option we offer for patients with moderate to advanced joint degeneration who want to support tissue repair rather than mask symptoms or replace their joint.

For adults across the greater Phoenix area, including Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley, who have exhausted cortisone, physical therapy, and even PRP without lasting relief, bone marrow concentrate therapy is a meaningful next step before surgery.

Stem cell therapy using bone marrow concentrate (BMAC) is an autologous procedure, meaning it uses your own cells, to support tissue repair in damaged joints, tendons, and spinal structures. At Regenerative Performance in Gilbert, AZ, every BMAC injection follows a thorough 2-hour evaluation that identifies the exact structures causing your pain. Unlike clinics that offer a single injection into the joint space, we treat every pain-generating structure under image guidance. Individual results may vary, but for appropriately selected patients, this approach supports tissue repair in every pain-generating structure, not just the most obvious one, without surgery.

We limit how many new regenerative patients we accept each month to devote sufficient time and attention to each case.

Many of our stem cell therapy patients travel from across Arizona and out of state after exhausting conventional care. Several have reported years of improvement after properly dosed, image-guided bone marrow concentrate combined with strength-focused rehabilitation.

This page is especially useful if you have been told you need a joint replacement, your cortisone and Synvisc injections stopped working, your PRP results were underwhelming, or you are researching stem cell therapy and want to understand the difference between legitimate bone marrow concentrate and the many misleading stem cell products advertised online.

What Is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cell therapy is a regenerative treatment that concentrates your own stem and stromal cells and delivers them into damaged tissue to support repair. It is not embryonic stem cell therapy, and it is not an off-the-shelf product purchased from a lab.

At Regenerative Performance, stem cell therapy spans three autologous (your own cells) treatment forms: bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT), and, for select cases, culture-expanded mesenchymal stem cells offered under the federal Right to Try Act, an investigational pathway processed in an FDA-compliant cGMP facility and not FDA-approved. This guide focuses on BMAC, the form we use most often.

When we say "stem cell therapy" in this guide, we mean a same-day procedure where bone marrow is aspirated from your pelvis, concentrated in our clinic, and injected under image guidance into the specific structures causing your pain. The cells in BMAC support tissue repair in damaged cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and bone, and produce growth factors that influence those tissues.

This matters because the term "stem cell therapy" is marketed broadly, including by clinics offering donor-tissue and exosome products that are not the patient's own cells at all. Amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane, umbilical cord tissue, and exosome products are frequently advertised as "stem cell therapy," however the FDA has warned about clinics marketing unapproved products this way. We will cover how to identify these scams in detail later in this guide.

At Regenerative Performance, stem cell therapy always uses your own cells. What we do not use are donor or off-the-shelf "stem cell" products, because a same-day autologous preparation is one where live, functional cells are actually present at the time of injection. Learn more about our stem cell therapy services and how they fit into your overall treatment plan.

How Does Bone Marrow Concentrate Work?

Bone marrow concentrate works by delivering a concentrated dose of your own regenerative cells directly to the structures contributing to your pain. The process runs in four steps.

Step 1: Bone Marrow Aspiration

Using a specialized needle, bone marrow is drawn from the posterior iliac crest (the back of your pelvis). This area is the standard harvest site because it is rich in mesenchymal stem cells and safe to access.

The aspiration technique matters: proper technique involves repositioning the needle to draw from multiple sites within the bone, which increases the number of cells collected. Published research indicates that aspiration technique directly influences the concentration of progenitor cells in the final preparation (Hernigou et al., International Orthopaedics, 2013).

Step 2: Processing and Concentration

The bone marrow sample is processed using a centrifuge system to separate and concentrate the regenerative components. The result is a small volume of highly concentrated bone marrow aspirate containing:

• Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs): Cells that support repair in cartilage, bone, tendon, and connective tissue and produce growth factors that influence these tissues
• Hematopoietic stem cells: Cells involved in immune modulation and inflammatory regulation
• Growth factors: Proteins including TGF-beta, BMP-2, VEGF, and PDGF that signal repair processes
• Anti-inflammatory cytokines: Molecules that help reduce chronic inflammation in the treatment area

Step 3: Image-Guided Injection

The concentrated bone marrow is injected under ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance directly into the structures contributing to your pain. This is where the precision of the procedure makes the biggest difference.

Instead of placing a single injection into the joint space and hoping it covers everything, the provider uses ultrasound to inject BMAC into each structure that is contributing to your pain, which may include the joint, the bone under the cartilage (subchondral), surrounding ligaments, tendons, the joint capsule, sensory nerves, and adjacent fat pads. This structure-by-structure approach is a sharp departure from what most clinics offer and is one reason why results at our clinic often differ from what patients have experienced elsewhere.

Step 4: The Healing Response

After injection, the concentrated cells do not simply "become" new cartilage or tendon. That is a common misconception. What the research suggests is that MSCs support tissue repair through several mechanisms:

• Paracrine signaling: MSCs release growth factors and cytokines that research suggests stimulate the body's own repair cells to become more active
• Anti-inflammatory effects: MSCs help shift the joint environment from chronic inflammation toward a healing state
• Immunomodulation: MSCs influence immune cell behavior, reducing the destructive inflammatory cycle that drives cartilage loss in osteoarthritis
• Trophic support: MSCs produce factors that support the survival and function of existing tissue cells

A systematic review of eleven studies suggested good to excellent overall outcomes with BMAC for early knee osteoarthritis and focal cartilage defects, while noting that high-level randomized evidence remains limited (Chahla et al., Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016).

What Conditions Can Stem Cell Therapy Treat?

Bone marrow concentrate therapy is most commonly used for moderate to advanced musculoskeletal conditions where the body's natural repair capacity has been overwhelmed by chronic damage or degeneration. These are a few of the conditions we treat most frequently with BMAC at Regenerative Performance.

Stem Cell Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis in Gilbert, AZ

Knee osteoarthritis is the most common condition we treat. BMAC is particularly well-suited for knees with moderate to advanced cartilage loss where PRP alone may not provide sufficient support. In our registry, 75% of osteoarthritis patients report significant pain relief, with an average pain reduction of 53%.

Longer-term comparative data now exists for BMAC in knee osteoarthritis:

• In a prospective randomized study comparing subchondral bone marrow concentrate injection to a knee replacement in the opposite knee, only 18% of BMAC-treated knees (roughly 1 in 6) had gone on to total knee arthroplasty at a mean 15-year follow-up, meaning most had not (Hernigou et al., International Orthopaedics, 2020)
• A related randomized study comparing injection technique suggested that where the bone marrow concentrate is delivered matters: at 15 years, 20% of knees treated with subchondral injection underwent knee replacement compared to 70% of knees treated with intra-articular injection alone (Hernigou et al., International Orthopaedics, 2020)
• Preparation quality matters too: a dose-response analysis suggested that patients who received a higher-dose bone marrow concentrate preparation reported numeric pain scores 50% lower than those who received a lower dose (Centeno et al., BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2015)

These are matched-cohort and randomized comparative studies, not placebo-controlled trials, and placebo-controlled data for BMAC in knee osteoarthritis remains limited.

For more on our approach to knee stem cell therapy, see our stem cell therapy page. If you have been told you need a knee replacement, our guide to alternatives to knee replacement walks through the full range of non-surgical options.

Hip Stem Cell Therapy in Gilbert, AZ: Osteoarthritis and Avascular Necrosis

Hip conditions are a regular part of our caseload. Hip outcomes in our registry are strongest at 6 months, when 89% of hip patients report significant pain relief. Across hip cases, the average pain reduction is 48%.

The strongest published evidence for BMAC in hip osteoarthritis is recent and substantial. A fifteen-year matched-cohort study suggested that progression to total hip arthroplasty was 16.1% of hips (roughly 1 in 6) among patients treated with intraosseous bone marrow concentrate, compared with 40.1% of hips (roughly 2 in 5) among matched patients who received conservative care instead, and the study also indicated a dose-response relationship, with higher cell doses associated with better outcomes (Hernigou & Centeno et al., International Orthopaedics, 2026).

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head is a separate condition from hip osteoarthritis, where blood supply to the bone is disrupted, leading to bone cell death. BMAC has been studied as a treatment option for AVN. Long-term followup data has suggested that bone marrow cell implantation in early-stage hip osteonecrosis is associated with reduced progression to femoral head collapse: in a landmark cohort, hips treated with autologous bone marrow grafting before collapse (Stage I-II) went on to hip replacement far less often than hips treated after collapse had already occurred (Hernigou & Beaujean, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 2002).

Stem Cell Therapy for Rotator Cuff Tears and Shoulder Pain

Shoulder patients show some of the strongest results in our registry: 86% report significant pain relief at 12 months, and nearly 9 out of 10 (89%) at 24 months.

BMAC is used for partial-thickness rotator cuff tears, labral injuries, and shoulder osteoarthritis. The goal is to support repair in damaged tendon tissue rather than further degeneration. A randomized, controlled crossover trial comparing bone marrow concentrate plus platelet products to exercise therapy for rotator cuff tears suggested significantly greater improvement in shoulder function, pain, and overall improvement at three months in the group that received the injection (Centeno et al., BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2024). For patients facing rotator cuff surgery, BMAC offers a non-surgical alternative worth exploring with a specialist.

Shoulder osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis of the humeral head) is a less common but well-studied application. In a randomized clinical trial with an average follow-up of 12 years (range 10 to 15 years), the trial data suggested both of the following differences, each statistically significant (Hernigou et al., International Orthopaedics, 2021):

• Humeral head collapse occurred in only 11.5% of cell-therapy cases compared with 87.5% in the control group (Hernigou et al., 2021)
• 92% of the cell-therapy patients avoided a joint replacement, compared with 25% in the control group (Hernigou et al., 2021)

Stem Cell Therapy for Degenerative Meniscus Tears

Meniscus tears, particularly degenerative tears in patients over 40, often respond poorly to surgical intervention. Multiple studies have suggested that arthroscopic meniscus surgery for degenerative tears is no more effective than physical therapy alone. BMAC provides an alternative approach: supporting the meniscus tissue's healing capacity while addressing the surrounding joint inflammation that often accompanies chronic meniscus damage.

In our clinical experience, the meniscotibial and meniscofemoral ligaments, the small ligaments that anchor the meniscus to the shin bone and the thigh bone, are often bigger drivers of pain in meniscus pathology than the tear itself. A treatment plan that addresses only the meniscus tear and overlooks these supporting ligaments can miss the actual source of pain. Evaluating and treating these ligaments alongside the meniscus is part of our structure-by-structure approach to meniscus cases.

Stem Cell Therapy for Back Pain and Spinal Conditions

Spinal conditions, including disc annular tears, facet joint arthritis, and facet joint instability, make up a large part of our practice. In our registry, roughly 3 out of 4 low-back patients report significant pain relief by 12 months after treatment, and 77% at 18 months.

For spinal BMAC procedures, the provider uses fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance to inject precisely into disc spaces, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments. This level of precision is crucial for spinal procedures where even small injection errors can reduce effectiveness.

Additional Conditions

BMAC therapy is also used for:

• Ligament injuries and chronic sprains (ankle, wrist, elbow), including select partial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears that do not require surgical reconstruction. A randomized crossover trial suggested that bone marrow concentrate combined with platelet products was associated with significantly greater improvement in function and overall outcome than exercise therapy alone at three months for ACL tears (Centeno et al., BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2025)
• Tendinosis and chronic tendon conditions (Achilles, patellar, elbow tendons)
• Nerve-related conditions where inflammation is contributing to nerve entrapment
• Post-surgical cases where healing has stalled

Stem Cell Therapy vs. Alternatives: How Does BMAC Compare?

Bone marrow concentrate supports structural tissue repair in a way that cortisone, hyaluronic acid, and even PRP alone cannot match, though it is a more involved procedure than either. When patients are evaluating their options for chronic joint pain, here is how bone marrow concentrate compares to the most common alternatives.

Why BMAC Instead of PRP Alone?

PRP is an excellent treatment, and most patients start with it. In many cases PRP provides sufficient improvement and stem cell therapy is never needed.

In our experience, the two treatments can reach similar pain relief in the majority of situations, but PRP usually requires more sessions to achieve the effect and duration that BMAC reaches sooner. Many patients also start directly with BMAC: for more advanced degeneration, larger structural defects, or conditions that did not respond fully to PRP, it provides a higher concentration of regenerative cells and growth factors.

Think of it this way: PRP delivers growth factors from your platelets. BMAC delivers growth factors from platelets AND adds mesenchymal stem cells that continue producing growth factors and anti-inflammatory signals for weeks to months after injection. For joints with substantial cartilage loss or bone involvement, that additional cellular support can make a meaningful difference.

For a detailed overview of PRP therapy, see our PRP therapy page and our PRP vs. cortisone comparison.

Why We Almost Never Recommend Cortisone

Cortisone suppresses inflammation, and suppressing inflammation does not address the underlying tissue problem; regenerative treatments instead support the body's own repair process. There are situations where cortisone is the right choice, but for chronic joint, tendon, and spinal conditions, relief tends to shrink with each round, and a growing body of research suggests that repeated cortisone injections may accelerate cartilage breakdown.

A randomized trial in knee osteoarthritis suggested that intra-articular triamcinolone (a corticosteroid) was associated with significantly greater cartilage volume loss over two years than saline (McAlindon et al., JAMA, 2017).

At Regenerative Performance, we almost never recommend cortisone injections. Not because they never help in the short term, but because they work against the long-term tissue health that regenerative treatments aim to support.

What to Expect at Our Gilbert, AZ Stem Cell Therapy Clinic

Treatment at our clinic follows four steps: a 2-hour diagnostic evaluation, an individualized treatment plan, the BMAC procedure itself (bone marrow aspiration, processing, and image-guided injection in a single 3 to 4 hour visit), and recovery with strength-focused rehabilitation and ongoing outcome tracking.

How Long Do Stem Cell Therapy Results Last?

Based on the available evidence and clinical experience, BMAC stem cell therapy results have been reported to last several years for appropriately selected patients, with published followup extending to fifteen years in matched-cohort studies of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Unlike cortisone, which wears off in weeks to months, or hyaluronic acid, which typically lasts 3 to 6 months, the goal of BMAC is to support repair in the damaged tissue itself rather than provide temporary symptom relief.

Improvement typically begins within the first few months after treatment and then continues to build and hold through longer-term followup. In our patient outcome registry, pain reduction continues to build over the first 18 months: the average patient reports a 59% reduction in pain at 18-month followup.

Several factors influence how long results last:

• Timing of treatment: Earlier intervention produces better outcomes in our registry. Patients who seek treatment within 6 months of symptom onset see 85 to 88% rates of significant pain relief, compared with 58% for those who wait more than a year.
• Post-procedure rehabilitation compliance: Patients who commit to strength-focused physical therapy and lifestyle modifications tend to maintain their results longer.
• Number of structures treated: Treating every structure involved, not just the most obvious one, addresses the full picture.
• Overall health: Nutrition, sleep, activity level, and metabolic health all influence healing capacity.

Individual results may vary. Not every patient will experience multi-year improvement, and some patients benefit from a second treatment session. We make that call from your tracked response, one treatment at a time.

Evidence and Patient Outcomes

Published Research on BMAC

The clinical evidence for bone marrow concentrate in orthopedic applications has expanded over the past decade. While large-scale, multi-center randomized controlled trials are still limited (which is true for most regenerative medicine procedures), the existing body of research suggests meaningful clinical benefit for appropriately selected patients.

Findings from the published literature:

• Follow-up through fifteen years suggests sustained improvement for BMAC-treated knee osteoarthritis patients in randomized comparative and matched-cohort studies (Hernigou et al., International Orthopaedics, 2020; Hernigou et al., International Orthopaedics, 2020)
• Long-term follow-up data suggests that bone marrow cell implantation for early hip osteonecrosis is associated with reduced progression to femoral head collapse (Hernigou & Beaujean, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 2002)
• A fifteen-year matched-cohort study of intraosseous bone marrow concentrate for hip osteoarthritis suggested significantly lower progression to total hip arthroplasty than matched conservative care, with higher cell doses associated with better outcomes (Hernigou & Centeno et al., International Orthopaedics, 2026)
• Aspiration technique directly influences the concentration of progenitor cells in the final preparation (Hernigou et al., International Orthopaedics, 2013)
• A systematic review suggests good to excellent overall outcomes with BMAC for early knee osteoarthritis and focal cartilage defects (Chahla et al., Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016)

Our Patient Outcome Registry

At Regenerative Performance, we track patient outcomes through a formal Patient Outcome Registry (powered by DataBiologics). Since 2021, the registry has tracked more than 200 patients across more than 340 cases, with follow-up data extending past 5 years (registry data updated July 2026). This is what it shows.

Pain outcomes:

• More than 3 out of 4 patients (77%) achieve significant pain relief (defined as 50% or greater pain reduction or best pain score of 2 or less)
• 7 out of 10 patients see their worst pain drop by a clinically meaningful amount
• Pain reduction continues improving over time, reaching a 59% mean reduction at 18 months

Functional outcomes:

• More than 7 out of 10 patients (74%) achieve clinically meaningful improvement in daily function on the Desired Functionality scale
• At 18 months, 74% of patients report significant improvement in the specific activities they came to us to recover

Satisfaction:

• Among stem cell treatments, 94% of cases with a completed six-month satisfaction survey were rated satisfied or extremely satisfied. Above 95% with completed twelve-month case responses were also rated satisfied or extremely satisfied.

Safety:

• Among the cases with completed safety follow-up in our registry, zero severe treatment-related adverse events have been reported, in registry data collected over more than 5 years

Treatment protocol matters:

• Cases treated with a combination of biologics (for example, bone marrow concentrate paired with PRP) report significant pain relief at a 74% rate, compared with 60% for single-agent treatment. These are observed outcomes across different case types, not a head-to-head trial; we match the approach to the tissue and the diagnosis.

Beyond asking whether your pain improved, we track your function using the same validated scales used in published clinical research.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Stem Cell Therapy?

Good candidates for bone marrow concentrate therapy typically have moderate to advanced joint degeneration or tendon or spinal damage that has not responded to physical therapy, cortisone, or PRP alone, and are willing to commit to post-procedure rehabilitation. The specific characteristics that suggest you may benefit from BMAC:

• Your pain has not resolved with conservative care, whether it started recently or years ago
• You have moderate to advanced joint degeneration, tendon damage, or spinal conditions
• You have tried physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, medications, or cortisone without lasting relief
• PRP has provided some benefit but not enough, or you have a condition where PRP alone may be insufficient
• You want to avoid or delay joint replacement surgery
• You want treatment that targets exact structures rather than a generic injection
• You are willing to invest in out-of-pocket treatment and commit to post-procedure rehabilitation
• You are motivated to take an active role in your recovery through strength training, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications

Our clinic is in Gilbert, AZ. Patients travel to us from out of state and internationally, and for those patients we schedule the evaluation and the procedure in a single trip.

During your first visit, we confirm whether BMAC or another approach (such as PRP, which is often sufficient) is appropriate and discuss other options if stem cell therapy is not the right fit for your case.

In our Phoenix-area clinic, we most often see active adults 40 and older with moderate to advanced arthritis, partial-thickness tendon tears, or chronic tendinosis who have tried physical therapy and cortisone without lasting relief and want to avoid surgery.

Who Is NOT a Good Candidate for Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cell therapy is typically not a good fit for patients with end-stage bone-on-bone arthritis with joint misalignment, complete tendon tears that require surgical repair, active cancer or bone marrow malignancy, active systemic infection, or expectations of a certain cure:

• End-stage bone-on-bone arthritis with joint misalignment
• Complete tendon tears requiring surgical repair
• Active cancer or bone marrow malignancy
• Active systemic infection
• Expectations of a certain cure

Honest patient selection is one of the most important aspects of responsible regenerative medicine, and recommending BMAC when it is unlikely to help would be dishonest and wasteful.

Too Advanced for Regenerative Treatment

Some conditions have progressed past the point where an injection can support meaningful repair.

• End-stage, bone-on-bone arthritis with joint misalignment: Bone-on-bone arthritis alone does not automatically rule out stem cell therapy. However, extensive joint remodeling, severe misalignment, or too little remaining tissue for a regenerative treatment to support may make joint replacement genuinely the better option.
• Complete tendon tears with retraction: When a tendon has fully torn and the muscle has retracted, surgical repair is usually necessary.
• Severe joint instability requiring surgical reconstruction: Some ligament injuries (such as complete ACL tears with marked functional instability) usually require surgical reconstruction rather than regenerative injection.

Medical Conditions That May Preclude Treatment

A smaller group of medical conditions makes the procedure itself inadvisable.

• Active cancer or history of bone marrow malignancy: We do not aspirate bone marrow in patients with active malignancy or conditions affecting bone marrow cell quality.
• Active systemic infection: Injecting into an infected area or aspirating bone marrow during systemic infection introduces unacceptable risk.
• Blood disorders affecting platelet function or bone marrow: Conditions that compromise the quality of the bone marrow aspirate reduce the likelihood of a good outcome.
• Immunosuppressive medication at high doses: Medications that strongly suppress immune function may interfere with the regenerative response.

If we determine during your evaluation that you are not a candidate for stem cell therapy, we will tell you directly and recommend an alternative path, whether that is PRP, physical therapy, or a surgical referral.

How to Spot Stem Cell Scams: Red Flags Every Patient Should Know

The clearest signs of a stem cell scam are donor "amniotic" or "exosome" products marketed as stem cell therapy (independent laboratory testing of commercial birth-tissue products has reported no live cells), no diagnostic evaluation before treatment, and promise-the-result marketing language. The stem cell therapy industry has a serious problem with misleading marketing.

Red Flag 1: "Amniotic Stem Cell" or "Umbilical Cord Stem Cell" Injections

Amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane, and umbilical cord tissue products are donor tissue, processed and sterilized for commercial distribution. In one independent laboratory analysis of nine commercial amnion, chorion, umbilical cord, and amniotic fluid products, no live cells were identified in any product (Becktell et al., Cartilage, 2020). The FDA has warned about, and taken enforcement action against, clinics marketing unapproved products, including birth-tissue and umbilical cord products, as stem cell treatments (FDA consumer alert). At Regenerative Performance, stem cell therapy always uses your own cells; we do not use donor amniotic, membrane, or umbilical cord products.

Red Flag 2: "Exosome" Therapy Marketed as Stem Cell Therapy

Exosomes are tiny vesicles that cells release for communication. Some clinics market exosome injections as a form of stem cell therapy. The FDA has issued warning letters to multiple exosome product manufacturers, and the available evidence does not support the clinical claims being made. Exosome products are not FDA-approved for any orthopedic condition.

Red Flag 3: No Evaluation Before Treatment

If a clinic offers stem cell therapy without a thorough diagnostic evaluation, that is a major red flag. You cannot treat what you have not diagnosed. Skipping the hands-on evaluation is likely to decrease your chances of seeing meaningful improvement.

Red Flag 4: Package Deals and Cookie-Cutter Protocols

Legitimate regenerative medicine is individualized. Every patient has different structures involved, different severity levels, and different treatment needs. Clinics that sell pre-packaged "stem cell packages" (for example, a flat-priced three-injection bundle) without a diagnostic evaluation first are treating the procedure as a product, not as medicine.

Red Flag 5: Unrealistic Claims

If a clinic promises "new cartilage growth," "regeneration of your joint," "cure for arthritis," or "guaranteed results," they are making claims that are not supported by the current evidence. Stem cell therapy supports tissue repair and produces growth factors that influence the healing environment. It does not reliably regrow entire cartilage surfaces or reverse advanced structural damage.

What to Ask Before Committing

If you are evaluating a stem cell clinic, ask these questions:

• "What is the source of the stem cells?" (The answer should be your own bone marrow or, in some cases, your own adipose tissue. Not an off-the-shelf product.)
• "What imaging guidance do you use during injection?"
• "What does your diagnostic evaluation involve, and how long does it take?"
• "Can you show me your patient outcome data?"
• "Is this an FDA-approved treatment?" (An honest clinic will say no and explain the off-label context.)

Still have questions? The best way to get answers is a conversation. Call 480-508-4226.

About Dr. Timmermans

Dr. Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK

Dr. Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK, specializes in precision-guided orthobiologic injections for chronic musculoskeletal pain at Regenerative Performance in Gilbert, AZ. He completed a residency in regenerative medicine and integrative pain management at the Neil Riordan Center for Regenerative Medicine at SCNM (now Sonoran University of Health Sciences) in Tempe, AZ, has performed regenerative procedures since 2017, and holds the RMSK (Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography) certification.

His approach starts with a 2-hour evaluation: a thorough hands-on physical exam, tissue-level diagnosis with diagnostic ultrasound, an individualized treatment plan, and validated outcome tracking.