Stem Cell Therapy for Chandler, AZ
Your Own Cells, BMAC and MFAT, for Shoulder, Knee, and Joint Pain
Regenerative Performance treats patients traveling from Chandler for stem cell therapy at its neighboring Gilbert, AZ clinic. Stem cell therapy at Regenerative Performance uses your own cells: bone marrow concentrate (BMAC) or microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT). Both are stem cell therapy; PRP concentrates platelets and growth factors and is not a stem cell treatment. Every injection is performed under the image guidance the structure requires, using ultrasound, x-ray, or both, and every patient begins with a comprehensive 2-hour evaluation before any treatment is planned.
What Stem Cell Therapy Is and How It Works
BMAC is obtained through a bone marrow aspiration, typically from the iliac crest, and processed the same visit into a concentrated preparation of the patient's own cells. MFAT is obtained through a lipoaspiration and mechanically processed; fat-derived (MFAT) injections are always combined with PRP at Regenerative Performance. We only use cells obtained from you; we do not use donor, umbilical, or embryonic cells. A third option, culture-expanded mesenchymal stem cells, is investigational, not FDA-approved, and offered under the federal Right to Try Act, with cells processed at an FDA-compliant cGMP facility; it is described on our culture-expanded mesenchymal stem cell therapy page.
In the United States, autologous bone marrow concentrate for orthopedic conditions is typically an off-label application, not an FDA-approved treatment.
Many Chandler patients researching stem cell therapy already know Regenerative Performance's PRP work in the East Valley and want to know whether stem cell therapy is simply a stronger version of PRP or a different procedure entirely. Stem cell therapy is a stronger treatment compared to PRP. In our experience the two can reach similar pain relief for most problems; PRP usually takes more treatments to get there, and research suggests stem cell therapy may do a better job supporting repair of the structure itself. Some patients feel worse while imaging improves and some feel fine while imaging worsens, so we treat the structure and the symptoms together. For patients who started with Regenerative Performance's PRP therapy for Chandler and are now asking whether stem cell therapy is a better fit, that question is answered during the same diagnostic evaluation used for every new patient, not before it.
For the full research base and mechanism behind BMAC and MFAT, see the complete guide to stem cell therapy; the stem cell therapy service page walks through the clinic's complete evaluation and treatment process for any new patient, including those traveling from Chandler.
Rotator Cuff Tears, Shoulder Pain, and Knee Joint Damage in Chandler
Shoulder pain and rotator cuff tendon damage are common reasons Chandler patients look into stem cell therapy, often after physical therapy has plateaued or an MRI has shown a partial-thickness tear that has not fully responded to conservative care. Research suggests stem cell therapy may do a better job supporting repair of the tendon tissue itself in cases like a partial-thickness rotator cuff tear, though a torn tendon can behave unpredictably: some patients feel worse even as imaging improves, and some feel little pain despite imaging that looks worse, so both the structure and the symptoms are treated rather than the scan alone. A full-thickness tear that has retracted typically still needs a surgical opinion rather than an injection-based approach. A closer look at bone marrow concentrate and PRP for rotator cuff tears breaks down when each option tends to fit.
Knee osteoarthritis and general joint pain are evaluated as their own diagnostic question rather than assumed from the shoulder findings alone: each region gets its own hands-on exam and imaging before any structure is confirmed as a pain generator. Stem cell therapy is typically not a fit for active cancer or bone marrow malignancy, active infection, or an expectation that treatment is certain to succeed. Regenerative Performance treats both long-standing chronic pain and more recent pain, and can treat several structures, a shoulder and a knee, for example, in a single treatment session rather than one at a time.
Serving Chandler and the East Valley
Regenerative Performance's clinic is in Gilbert, directly neighboring Chandler, and many patients from Chandler and the surrounding East Valley choose the short drive for an autologous, evaluation-first stem cell option rather than a donor-product clinic closer to home. Chandler patients plan on two visits, not one: the diagnosis and treatment plan come out of the 2-hour evaluation first, and any bone marrow or adipose harvest is booked separately so the preparation is never rushed.
Chandler patients who have questions about whether stem cell therapy fits their situation are welcome to call before scheduling anything.
What Every Stem Cell Treatment Includes
Every injection is performed under the image guidance the structure requires, using ultrasound, x-ray, or both, by Dr. Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK, who completed a residency in Pain Management and Regenerative Medicine at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and has been performing bone marrow concentrate and microfragmented adipose procedures since 2017. Outcomes tracked since 2021 in partnership with DataBiologics.
Procedures that include a bone marrow or adipose harvest are typically done under twilight sedation with a dedicated anesthesia provider monitoring you, while simpler injection-only visits are usually done awake and are well tolerated.
Most patients have increased soreness for 3 to 7 days. Some feel a significant drop in pain in the first 7 to 14 days because the injected cells release natural anti-inflammatory compounds; that early relief wears off after a few weeks, and losing it does not mean the procedure failed. Most patients who respond start to see it within the first 4 weeks, the majority of improvement arrives in the first 6 months, and healing typically continues out to a year.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stem Cell Therapy for Chandler, AZ
What is the difference between PRP and stem cell therapy?
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) concentrates a patient's own platelets and growth factors, while stem cell therapy uses cell-based preparations such as bone marrow concentrate (BMAC) or microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT). Stem cell therapy is generally considered a stronger treatment than PRP: for pain relief, the two can reach similar results in many situations, though PRP usually takes more treatments to get there. Research suggests stem cell therapy may do a better job supporting repair of the structure itself, such as a partial tendon tear or bone marrow edema, though imaging and symptoms do not always move together with either treatment.
Does stem cell therapy help rotator cuff tears?
Stem cell therapy is sometimes used for rotator cuff tendon damage, particularly partial-thickness tears that have not responded to physical therapy or other conservative care. Research suggests stem cell therapy may support repair of the tendon tissue itself in these cases, and the imaging and symptom picture do not always move together, so a full-thickness tear that has retracted typically needs a surgical opinion rather than an injection-based approach.
Does Regenerative Performance offer stem cell therapy for Chandler patients?
Yes, Regenerative Performance offers stem cell therapy to patients from Chandler, with every ultrasound-guided procedure performed at its neighboring Gilbert, AZ clinic by Dr. Drew Timmermans, ND, RMSK. Chandler patients travel for both the 2-hour evaluation and any treatment visit, a short drive from most Chandler neighborhoods.
What happens on the day of a stem cell procedure?
On the day of a stem cell procedure, bone marrow is aspirated, typically from the iliac crest, or fat tissue is obtained through a lipoaspiration, then processed the same visit into a concentrated preparation. The prepared cells are then injected into the target structure under the image guidance it requires, using ultrasound, x-ray, or both. Procedures that include a bone marrow or adipose harvest are typically done under twilight sedation with a dedicated anesthesia provider monitoring you, while simpler injection-only visits are usually done awake and are well tolerated.
Ready to Find Out If Stem Cell Therapy Can Help?
Regenerative Performance's Gilbert clinic is a short drive from Chandler and the rest of the East Valley, and every stem cell injection there is performed under image guidance by Dr. Timmermans using your own bone marrow or fat tissue. Rotator cuff tears, knee osteoarthritis, and joint damage that has not responded to conservative care are the conditions Chandler patients most often bring in.
More than 1,500 orthobiologic cases since 2015.
726 N Greenfield Rd, STE 101, Gilbert, AZ 85234