Sports Injuries
REGENERATIVE TREATMENT FOR SPORTS INJURIES IN LONDON
With a proven track record in regenerative medicine, you’re in safe hands.
Most people who take part in sporting activities will experience minor injuries from time to time. These will often heal through little more than rest and recuperation. However, a sports injury can occasionally be serious and debilitating, hence medical intervention is required.
Treatments for sports injuries will vary depending on the nature and severity of the condition. Acute injuries can often be treated with a cold compress and anti-inflammatory medication. Serious or chronic injuries may require physiotherapy or even surgery.
Research into stem cells, which is a relatively new discipline of regenerative medicine, has also shown positive results for sports injuries. Where there is an established medical need, a clinician may now prescribe stem cell therapy as a treatment within the UK, in accordance with regulation by the Human Tissue Authority.
Dr Khan Says
“Regenerative treatments are an option for people who may have already tried, or considered, conventional treatments. Research using stem cells with latest technology has shown promising results.”
Dr Tee Says
“Stem cells are located throughout the body and act as natural healers. Studies suggest that when used for medical purposes, stem cells have the potential to accelerate tissue repair, stimulate tissue regeneration, and decrease inflammation.”
SPORTS INJURIES AND STEM CELL RESEARCH
Sports injuries can affect ligaments, joints, and nerves; and can cause musculoskeletal issues. Most athletes will wish to resume their activities as soon as possible, but this can be a long and arduous task. Regenerative treatments are of interest because stem cells play an important role in the body’s natural ability to repair and regenerate damaged tissue.
A study published in 2019 stated: “Sports medicine doctors use stem cells to treat a wide variety of sports injuries, including damage to tendons, ligaments, muscles, and cartilage. Stem cell therapy to an injured area could be done through direct surgical application, stem-cell-bearing sutures, and injection. Stem cell therapy holds potential for repair and functional plasticity following sports injuries compared to traditional methods.” [1]
Stem cells and related regenerative treatments such as stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and platelet rich plasma (PRP) have the ability to boost the flow of blood and nutrients to a give area of the body. This means that they potentially have wide application for helping to heal many different types of injury.
For example, repetitive movement during sporting activity over a long period of period of time can cause cartilage erosion and osteoarthritis (OA). Research into the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat OA has shown promising results, according to studies in a number of countries.
Similarly, a study in 2014 into the use of stem cells, growth factors, and natural biomaterials showed good potential for tendon repair. It stated: “Promising experimental data support the concept of using proteins, genes and cells, often in conjunction with biological scaffolds, as agents of the biological repair of tendons.” [2 & 3]
WHAT ARE STEM CELLS?
Stem cells are special types of cell that occur naturally within the body. They have the ability to replicate themselves or develop into different types of cells through a process known as differentiation.
Hence stem cells have the potential to become new cells in order to perform specific functions. For example, they can differentiate to become blood cells or other types of cell that are active within the immune system. This process enables stem cells not only to play a unique role in the body’s ability to heal itself, but also to encourage the growth of healthy tissue.
HOW ARE STEM CELLS USED IN MEDICINE?
Whilst stem cell therapy is relatively new, stem cells have been the subject of over 40 years of research and there have been a large number of clinical trails. A limited number of treatments for certain medical conditions are now available in the UK.
When used for medical purposes, research suggests stem cells can accelerate tissue repair, stimulate tissue regeneration, decrease inflammation, and stimulate new blood vessel growth.
WHAT TREATMENTS ARE THERE FOR SPORTS INJURIES?
Treatment will vary according to the nature and severity of the injury, which your doctor can advise you upon.
In the first instance, it may wise to apply a cold pack to the affected area, which may also benefit from elevation and compression, along with anti-inflammatory medications.
More serious injuries may require surgery. Studies suggest that regenerative treatments, including stem cell therapy where there is an established medical need, may also potentially be of benefit to achieve long-term healing.
CAN I HAVE STEM CELL THERAPY?
Stem cell therapy may be considered for people who require an alternative approach to established procedures. It may be suitable for patients aged 18 to 75 or children in special circumstances, whose condition is stable enough to undergo treatment.
The first stage is to book a consultation with a qualified medical practitioner, who will assess your medical history in order to potentially make a pre-approval application. A multi-disciplinary panel of experts will then consider your application.
If you application is approved, you will then be invited undergo a full health screening and detailed tests to ensure stem cell treatment is an appropriate approach for you. Provided you pass the assessment criteria, you may then begin treatment.
WHAT DOES TREATMENT INVOLVE?
Patients generally require a preparation period that may involve a number of procedures to ensure your regenerative system is at its most receptive. The stem cells can typically then be injected into the body, which depending on the nature of your condition can either be done by intra-tissue injection.
WHERE DO THE STEM CELLS COME FROM?
The stem cells may be either ‘autologous’ or ‘allogeneic’. Autologous stem cells are processed after being harvested from tissue from the patient’s own body, whereas allogeneic stem cells are cultured in a laboratory from a donated source. In our clinics we only use ‘Autologous’ tissue- derived cells. ‘Allogeneic’ cells are currently used for research purposes, or by the NHS for bone marrow transplantation.
HOW ARE STEM CELLS REGULATED?
Stem cell therapies are classed as nouvelle treatments or ‘specials’, which are a permissible category of medicines that are available to meet the clinical needs of an individual patient.
The progress of stem cell patients is carefully monitored and the treating team have a regulatory duty to report any relevant findings to the responsible research NHS Body, with a view to stem cell therapy becoming a standardised licensed treatment in the future.
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ABOUT DR KHAN AND DR TEE
The Cellular & Regenerative practice in Harley Street was co-founded by Dr Aamer Khan, author of the forthcoming book, ‘Aesthetic Treatments in Regenerative Medicine: Stem Cells, Stromal Vascular Fraction, Platelet Rich Plasma, and Platelet Rich Fibrin.’
Dr Aamer Khan
Qualifying as a Doctor at the University of Birmingham in 1986 with an MB ChB (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery), Dr Khan completed his postgraduate training in University Hospitals Birmingham. He spent 24 years working within the NHS, including many years in General Practice in a community with the largest proportion of elderly population in the UK. This led to his passion to study cellular and regenerative medicine, and develop an integrative approach to his medical practice.
As part of his cellular and regenerative interest, Dr. Khan’s Clinic, was one of the first to work with Cytori Stem Cell Technologies in 2008. In 2010, he retired from the NHS to refine protocols at the Harley Street Skin Clinic, and develop his integrative medical practice and the Cellular + Regenerative clinic.
Dr Mike Tee
Dr Mike Tee MB, BChir, BSc (Hons), DLO, DRCOG, MRCGP, is a Cambridge medical graduate, and has over 25 years of experience in the medical profession. Dr Tee is well regarded as an expert in Dermal Fillers, PRP, Thread Lifts, Mole Removal & dermatological minor surgery. Dr. Tee has worked very closely with Dr. Khan and developed a wealth of knowledge and expertise in integrative and regenerative medicine.
Sources
1 – Rahim S, Rahim F, Shirbandi K, Haghighi BB, Arjmand B. Sports Injuries: Diagnosis, Prevention, Stem Cell Therapy, and Medical Sport Strategy. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1084:129-144. doi: 10.1007/5584_2018_298. PMID: 30539427.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30539427/
2 – Mesenchymal stem cells in knee osteoarthritis treatment:
A systematic review and meta-analysis
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32913710/]
3 – Docheva D, Müller SA, Majewski M, Evans CH. Biologics for tendon repair. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2015;84:222-239. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2014.11.015
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4519231/