Hmmm…unfortunately so far not in any way that’s been proven.
There’s no good evidence that stem cell injections regrow cartilage or work better than standard treatment for arthritis. In the largest US trial for knee arthritis, three different cell injections did NO better than a steroid shot at one year, and scans showed no change in the joint.
In the US, the FDA hasn’t approved any stem cell product for arthritis, tendon problems or back pain. US rheumatologists, in their latest guidance, strongly recommend against stem cell injections for knee and hip arthritis.
They’re rarely covered by insurance and often cost thousands. Many “stem cell” injections contain few or no living stem cells at all.
What’s actually injected
- Your own bone marrow: marrow is drawn from your hip bone with a needle, spun down, and injected the same day. Only a tiny fraction of those cells are stem cells, and the number varies widely between people and methods
- Your own fat: fat is taken by liposuction, processed, and injected into the joint
- Birth tissue products: made from donated amniotic fluid, placenta or umbilical cord. When researchers tested commercial amniotic products, they found no living stem cells, and most of the cells present were dead
- Lab-grown cells: cells multiplied in a lab. In the US these need FDA approval and are mainly used in research studies
“Stem cell” is often a marketing label. Ask exactly what’s in the syringe and where it came from.
What the FDA says
- Only one kind is approved: the only FDA-approved stem cell products are blood-forming stem cells from umbilical cord blood, used for certain blood disorders
- None for joints: the FDA states that these products aren’t approved for osteoarthritis, tendinitis, disc disease or back pain
- A loophole, not a stamp of approval: your own tissue, lightly processed and put back during the same visit, can be used without FDA approval. That doesn’t mean it’s been shown to work
- Reported harms: the FDA has received reports of serious infections, including life-threatening blood infections, tumor growth and blindness from unapproved products
- Warning letters: the FDA has warned clinics and companies that marketed unapproved stem cell products
What the evidence shows
- The biggest trial: 480 people with knee arthritis had bone marrow, fat or umbilical cord cells, or a steroid shot. At one year, pain and function improved about the SAME in all four groups. None of the groups showed changes in the joint on MRI
- Reviews: despite decades of research, there isn’t strong evidence that stem cell treatments work for joint problems
- Why people feel better anyway: arthritis naturally has good and bad spells, a needle into the joint has a strong placebo effect, and many people start exercising at the same time
If a clinic says one injection will regrow your cartilage, it’s promising something no trial has shown.
Cost and insurance
- Almost always self-paid: insurers rarely cover stem cell injections because the evidence is too weak. The AAOS OrthoInfo page on stem cells says to expect to pay out of pocket
- Thousands per joint: one survey of US clinics found knee treatments priced from about $1,000 to $12,000, averaging around $5,000
- Success rates in ads: the same survey found clinics advertising success rates of around 8 in 10, with nothing to back them up
Red flags in a stem cell clinic
- Promises to regrow cartilage or help you avoid a joint replacement
- Success rates like “9 in 10” with no published results behind them
- Patient testimonials instead of trial data
- One treatment for many unrelated conditions, from knee pain to lung or brain disease
- Says it’s “FDA registered”: registering with the FDA isn’t the same as FDA approval
- “Live stem cells” from birth tissue: tested products haven’t contained them
- Pressure to pay upfront or book a package the same day
- You’re asked to pay to join a “study”: genuine research trials rarely charge you to take part
What works better
- Strengthening exercise: recommended for everyone with arthritis, at every stage. See knee arthritis
- Weight loss, if needed: less load on the joint with every step
- A steroid shot for a flare: matched the cell injections in that big trial, for far less money. See cortisone shot in the knee
- Other injections: the evidence for these is mixed too. See PRP injection for the knee and gel injections for the knee
Call your doctor today if
- The joint gets hotter, redder and more swollen after the first couple of days instead of settling
- You have a fever or chills, or feel unwell
- The site where marrow or fat was taken becomes red, hot, swollen or leaks pus
Get it checked if
- Your pain is worse a few weeks after the injection than it was before
- You’ve had no change after a few months
- You’re offered repeat injections without a clear reason
- The joint locks, catches or gives way
Stem cells may have a future in joint care. For now, they’re an expensive experiment you pay for yourself.