Before pursuing joint surgery to treat musculoskeletal conditions or sports injuries, it is usually advisable for patients in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and the surrounding Florida communities to consider nonsurgical alternatives. Oftentimes, nonsurgical treatment options can provide patients with faster recovery times and lower risks of infection, while sufficiently managing the pain, swelling, and stiffness associated with many conditions and injuries.

For some patients with soft tissue damage, such as strains, sprains, and tears, a viable alternative to joint surgery may be platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. This procedure involves the extraction of platelets from a patient’s own blood. These platelets contain growth factors and proteins that can promote the generation of new cells for healing purposes. When the platelets are treated and injected into a site of injury, a patient may experience relief that is sufficient to delay the need for surgery.

Another joint surgery alternative for patients in the Tampa Bay area may be mesenchymal stem cell treatment. Mesenchymal stem cells are derived from a patient’s own bone marrow (usually from the hip or pelvic area), so unlike the controversy surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells, there is no moral dilemma associated with this treatment. Other nonsurgical treatment options may include physical therapy, ultrasound therapy, cortisone injections, viscosupplementation, and more.

Patients in Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg, FL, who are interested in joint surgery alternatives can contact Tampa Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine. Our orthopaedic specialists will be pleased to discuss the various nonsurgical treatment options we offer for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries.