Regenexx® Procedures for Foot & Ankle Conditions

Regenexx® Procedures are non-surgical injection-based procedures for people suffering from foot and ankle injuries, arthritis, or other conditions that cause pain. These procedures utilize concentrated repair cells that are obtained from your own bone marrow or blood to promote your body’s own natural ability to heal.

Current surgical procedure options for common ankle injuries and arthritis include ankle arthroscopy to “clean up” damaged cartilage, fusion of ankle bones where cartilage has been lost, and tendon grafts screwed in place to strengthen loose connections between bones. All are painful and are often not be effective in the long run. These surgeries typically involve a painful post-surgical recovery with a lengthy rehab period to restore strength and mobility to the ankle. Regenexx may help reduce pain and improve function for those with foot or ankle pain due to injury or arthritis eliminating the need for these invasive surgeries.

This is not a complete list, so please contact us or complete the Regenexx Candidate Form if you have questions about whether you or your condition can be treated with these non-surgical procedures.

  • Arthritis
  • Ankle Instability
  • Peroneal tendon tear or split
  • Ligament sprain or tear
  • Sub-talar arthritis or instability
  • Tarsal tunnel syndrome
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Bunions

Ankle & Foot Outcomes

Foot & Ankle Function Improvement After Regenexx Procedure

Prior to treatment, patients report being limited to an average of 56% of their optimal function. After receiving treatment, they report averages up to 72%. The functional questionnaire represented here is the Functional Rating Index (FRI).

Data updated March 01, 2021.

Foot & Ankle Pain Decrease After Regenexx Procedure

Prior to receiving treatment, patients report average pain of 4.6/10. One month after treatment, pain levels decrease to an average of 2.9/10, a decrease of 37%. The questionnaire used is the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS).

Data updated March 01, 2021.

Overall Foot & Ankle Improvement After Regenexx Procedure

Patients feel their joints are, on average, already 26% better after only 1-month, and continue to improve from there. The questionnaire used is the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE).

Data updated March 01, 2021.

Regenexx® Procedures provide non-surgical treatment options for those suffering from pain related to osteoarthritis, joint injuries, spine pain, overuse conditions, and common sports injuries. These medical procedures are only performed by highly skilled doctors and are used to help reduce pain and improve function. Regenexx procedures have helped thousands of patients improve their quality of life, return to the activities they enjoy, and avoid the need for surgery or joint replacement*.

Regenexx Physicians represent a very selective, highly skilled, interventional orthobiologics network that is 100% focused on orthopedic conditions. All Regenexx physicians are musculoskeletal experts with extensive training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions, as well as complex, image-guided injections of your body’s own healing agents to treat orthopedic issues. Regenexx patient outcomes are tracked in a registry and with that information, we provide transparent outcome data (below) for those who may be considering this treatment option.

How Regenexx Procedures Work

Regenexx-SD is Bone Marrow Concentrate, which contains stem cells. These repair cells from your own body live inside all of us in various tissues, poised to leap into action to repair damage as it occurs. As we age or have big injuries, we may not be able to recruit enough of these cells to the site to fully repair the area. The Regenexx-SD Procedure helps overcome this problem by harvesting Bone Marrow from an area of the back of the hip that contains a dense population of these important cells and then concentrating those cells before precisely injecting them into the injured area using advanced imaging guidance. The goal of the procedure is to reduce pain and improve function by promoting the body’s own ability to heal naturally. This patented bone marrow concentrate protocol can be used for a wide range of orthopedic conditions. Your Regenexx doctor will evaluate your condition and your imaging to determine whether a bone marrow concentrate or platelet-based procedure is the best option for your orthopedic condition.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Platelet Lysate Injection Procedures contain healing growth components from your own blood that increase your body’s natural ability to repair itself. The use of PRP to repair joint, tendon, ligament, and muscle injuries is becoming well known, thanks to exposure from professional athletes. Platelet injection procedures are effective because they have a stimulating effect on the stem cells within the targeted area, making those stem cells work harder to heal damaged tissues. Our Advanced Platelet Procedures are more pure and concentrated than those created by the automated machines used at most regenerative medicine clinics. Platelet procedures are commonly used for soft tissue injuries, mild arthritis and spine conditions.

Ankle Ligament Tears, Sprains and Instability of the Ankle Joint

When the ligaments that hold the bones of the ankle joint together are partially torn or stretched, as in the case of a bad sprain or repeated minor sprains, they can become painful, loose, and weak. This changes how you walk, putting painful stress on other joints of the foot, as well as making it more likely that you will sprain the ankle again. This leads to a cycle of chronic pain and instability.

Ankle sprains and injuries that are not too severe, may be resolved with Regenexx super concentrated PRP (platelet rich plasma) procedures. These procedures are intended to help heal damaged tissues and tighten lax ligaments due to sprain. For more substantial injuries and tears, our bone marrow concentrate protocol may be recommended.

Considering Ankle Surgery, Fusion or Replacement?

Osteoarthritis of the ankle usually occurs in ankles that have experienced trauma, infection, or injury. A smooth, slippery, fibrous connective tissue, called articular cartilage, acts as a protective cushion between bones. Arthritis develops as the cartilage begins to deteriorate or is lost. As the articular cartilage is lost, the joint space between the bones narrows. This is an early symptom of osteoarthritis of the ankle and is easily seen on X-rays.

As the disease progresses, the cartilage thins, becoming grooved and fragmented. The surrounding bones react by becoming thicker. They start to grow outward and form spurs. The synovium (a membrane that produces a thick fluid that helps nourish the cartilage and keep it slippery) becomes inflamed and thickened. It may produce extra fluid, which causes additional swelling.

As an alternative to surgery, fusion or replacement, Regenexx Procedures may help alleviate pain with a non-surgical injection procedure. Patients are often encouraged to walk the same day, and most experience little to no down time from the procedure.

Regenexx® Patient Success Stories

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