Biologics for Sports Medicine-Not Just for the Pros Anymore

Biologics have been used in sports medicine for decades to heal injuries and repair knee dislocations, patellar tendon ruptures, andligament and rotator cuff tears. Even 12 years ago, the results of cellular therapy were remarkable – and doctors were just getting started.

In an article on ESPN from December 2012, Dr. James Andrews claims, “What we call biologics. They’re on their way, and that will be a transformational event.” Very quietly — “We don’t advertise it,” Andrews says, “and we don’t want to sensationalize it” — he and his colleagues at clinics in Birmingham, Ala., and Gulf Breeze, Fla., have been performing stem cell injections on professional athletes. He won’t name names, but Andrews has mostly employed stem cells in the deteriorated knees of football players, and virtually all of them have reported significant decreases in pain and inflammation. “It’s early,” he says, “but the results have been remarkable.”

What’s even more remarkable is that these treatments aren’t just reserved for professional sports athletes and celebrities. Cellular therapy is accessible to everyone and becoming a more and more “normal” treatment option for those with chronic pain and injuries.

Dr. Ethan Kellum at Nashville Regenerative Orthopedics utilizes cell-based therapies like PRP therapy as a replacement for orthopedic surgery. He is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon and has a deep understanding of musculoskeletal injuries and joint conditions. Dr. Kellum’s main focus is cellular therapy and keeping patients out of the operating room.