Tabitha is 66 years old and has eagerly awaited this new year. At her retirement in 2024 she had planned to travel the world with her sister. Sadly, an old tear in her meniscus now threatens Tabitha’s dream. She has debilitating pain that makes walking unbearable.
Tabitha had a meniscal tear in her left knee at age 36 and while the joint had healed, her knee was never the same following the injury. She hasn’t walked quite the same since. To make matters worse, because of this abnormal gait, her right hip has progressively developed pain.
Now at 66, she learned she has moderate osteoarthritis affecting both her left knee and right hip. She is very hesitant to schedule total hip and knee replacements. She fears the procedure and dreads the related downtime. However, Tabitha is also uncertain what other therapies might help her. Her scheduled walking tour in Spain in eight months seems out of reach.
Tabitha’s experience is an all-too-common portrayal of what we hear at Oregon Regenerative Medicine. Approximately one-third of total knee replacements are unnecessary for individuals suffering with osteoarthritis1. In addition, the downtime associated with these procedures is significant. Frequently knee replacement recipients are barred from driving from four to six weeks following the surgery.
Thankfully, regenerative medicine is an easily accessible, alternative option. For the last 11 years, Oregon Regenerative Medicine has pioneered the use of adipose-derived-stem cells for orthopedic interventions. We’ve witnessed stunning clinical results in our patients.
ORM has had nearly 20 years’ experience in other regenerative therapies, such as platelet rich plasma. It has been very rewarding to see the medical research community confirm what we have seen in our own patient’s outcomes with repeated supportive studies. We have observed our patients returning to their travel and active lifestyles very quickly and with minimal post procedure limitations and restrictions.
With that in mind, what are your goals for 2024? Is your physical health limiting your goals for the next twelve months? Maybe your pickleball game is deteriorating because of the wear and tear in your shoulder. Or, like Tabitha, the hike you have planned in Italy needs to be postponed because of long-standing osteoarthritis in your knees.
As we step into a new year, there are endless regenerative possibilities you can accomplish and that begins with prioritizing your body!
Self-determination theory posits that setting goals, and then working to achieve those goals provides humans with critical life purpose and meaning2. Life’s purpose and meaning positively correlates with more supportive mental and physical wellbeing as well as a reduction in mortality. When we have an objective in sight day to day, the process of attaining that goal provides us with fulfillment.
At Oregon Regenerative Medicine, our mission is to provide evidence-based therapies so that you can be your optimal self and achieve those goals. Prioritizing ourselves allows us to be more involved with our families. We’re better able to participate and engage in our communities, hobbies, sports and activities.
Dr. Stacey Guggino, ND, LAc graduated from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon with a Doctorate in Naturopathy and a master’s degree in Oriental Medicine. For the past 12 years, she has specialized in treating pain and sports injuries with acupuncture and prolotherapy. Dr. Guggino has also studied and practiced aesthetic medicine for 11 years.
Sources
- Daniel L. Riddle, PT, PhD, FAPTA,1,2 William A. Jiranek, MD,2 and Curtis W. Hayes, MD3; Use of a Validated Algorithm to Judge the Appropriateness of Total Knee Arthroplasty in the United States: A Multicenter Longitudinal Cohort Study. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014 Aug; 66(8): 2134–2143.
- Schippers MC, Ziegler N.Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life. Front Psychol. 2019 Dec 13;10:2778. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.G
