Condition overview · Orthopedics

Knee pain & arthritis in Boulder.

Here is what we treat in the knee and which autologous therapies (made from your own blood, bone marrow, or fat) may apply. Each card below links to that therapy's full page.

Knee osteoarthritisMeniscus injuryCartilage damagePatellar tendinopathyPost-surgical stiffness

Schedule a call 720-550-6175

Therapies for this condition

Four autologous options for the knee.

Each one uses your own biologic material. The right choice depends on your imaging, stage of disease, prior treatments, and goals. Dr. Glowney walks through this with you at your consultation.

01 · Cellular therapy

Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC)

Contains stem cells (MSCs) · same-day · image-guided

We draw a small amount of bone marrow from the back of your hip bone (iliac crest) under local anesthetic, concentrate it in our on-site lab, and inject it into the target tissue using ultrasound or live X-ray (fluoroscopy) guidance.

Best fit when
Moderate knee OA with cartilage involvement
PRP didn't give enough relief
Bone marrow lesions (areas of swelling in the bone just under the cartilage) on MRI

Read the full Bone marrow aspirate concentrate page →

02 · Platelet-rich plasma

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

Blood-derived · in-office · 60–90 min

Concentrated platelets and growth factors from your own blood, prepared in our lab and delivered into the target tissue under ultrasound guidance. There is more published research on PRP for joints and tendons than on any other autologous biologic.

Best fit when
Early-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2–3 on the standard 0–4 scale)
Patellar / quadriceps tendinopathy
Looking for the lowest-friction first biologic step

Read the full Platelet-rich plasma page →

03 · Combination · knee-specific

PRP + Hyaluronic acid

Single injection · biologic + viscosupplement

PRP combined with hyaluronic acid in a single intra-articular injection. The platelets supply growth-factor signals, and the HA (a gel found naturally in joint fluid) adds lubrication and helps spread load across the joint. This combination is specific to the knee.

Best fit when
Moderate knee OA with mechanical symptoms
Wanting symptom relief alongside biologic signaling
Have responded to either PRP or HA alone in the past

Read the full PRP + Hyaluronic acid page →

04 · Autologous tissue · adipose

Microfragmented adipose (mFAT)

Adipose-derived · same-day · image-guided

Your own fat, taken by a brief mini-liposuction, microfragmented and rinsed in the same procedure, and placed into the joint under ultrasound guidance as cushioning and structural support.

Best fit when
Wear in more than one area of the knee on imaging
Wanting an option that adds cushioning to the joint
When a bone marrow draw is less suited that day

Read the full Microfragmented adipose page →

Talking it through

Find out if biologic therapy is the right next step for you.

These are the situations where biologic therapy most often comes up for this condition. Whether it fits you is something we work out together at your consultation. If another option makes more sense, we'll tell you.

What we look at together

Mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis on X-ray (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2–3 on the standard 0–4 scale)
Symptoms have outlasted physical therapy and activity modification
You'd like to explore options before considering a knee replacement
You're generally healthy, mobile, and willing to follow a 12-week protocol

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