The Role of Physical Therapy in Regenerative Medicine

The Role of Physical Therapy in Regenerative Medicine
Our primary focus at Apex Biologix is providing doctors and clinics with regenerative medicine equipment and supplies.
We sell things like centrifuges and stem cell/PRP kits. We work with our sister organization, the Advanced Regenerative
Medicine Institute, to equip doctors after completing their training.
With that in mind, we play close attention to the current state of regenerative medicine in the U.S. We are particularly
intrigued by how stem cell and PRP therapies are being used to treat musculoskeletal injuries. For example, it is fairly
common for pro athletes to get PRP injections following ligament, tendon, and muscle injuries.
The impetus for this post was a story that recently ran on the auburnpub.com website, a site operated by an Auburn,
New York newspaper known as The Citizen. An Auburn physical therapist and chiropractor by the name of Dr. Dale
Buchberger wrote the piece. In it, he discussed the role of physical therapy in regenerative medicine.
Multiple Injection Types
One of the first things Buchberger mentioned was the fact that physical therapists deal with four different kinds of
injections. Patients come to them having already received cortisone injections, PRP injections, stem cell injections, and
prolotherapy. He made the point that each kind of injection is designed to do something different. Physical therapy has
to be matched with the injury being treated and the intent and goals of the injections.
Buchberger’s line of thinking is quite interesting. He mentioned that, where PRP injections are concerned, prescribed
rest periods prior to beginning physical therapy differ based on where a doctor was trained. In other words, doctors
recommend different amounts of rest prior to PT. This doesn’t seem to be appropriate when you stop and think about it.

While there may be differences in the amount of rest prescribed, they shouldn’t depend on training. Differences
between patients should be limited to their individual injuries and their reactions to the PRP injections. So what’s the
deal?
Although clinical evidence in support of PRP and stem cell injections for musculoskeletal injuries is growing, there isn’t
enough clinical data yet to establish any sort of industry standards. Therefore, it is up to training companies and the
medical professionals who guide curriculum planning to establish what they think best.
Physical Therapy Is Beneficial
Despite differing recommendations regarding rest periods, the one thing that most doctors can agree on is that both
PRP and stem cell therapies benefit from additional physical therapy. Injections can promote healing in a faster and
more natural way, but physical therapy is necessary to regain maximum strength and flexibility.
The key is to know when to start physical therapy and how intense to make it. Waiting too long could negate any
benefits of PRP and stem cell injections. Starting too soon can cause further injury, thus ruining any benefits that may
have otherwise been derived from the injections.
Therapy intensity also has to be considered alongside rest periods. It may be beneficial to begin physical therapy within
a day or two of an injection, but it may not be appropriate to go all-in right away. Some patients may need to start more
slowly and work their way up.
The biggest take away here is that there still is a lot we don’t know about regenerative medicine. We know that it works
for many patients suffering from musculoskeletal injuries, and we know that physical therapy is an important
component in recovery. But we do not quite know what the proper balance between the two is. That is something that
the industry continues to work on in conjunction with experienced physical therapists.