Regenerative Medicine in Tempe, AZ — Non-Surgical Care for Joint, Tendon and Ligament Pain

Pain from an arthritic knee, a worn shoulder or a tendon that never fully healed can quietly shrink your life. You skip the hike, sit out the pickleball game and plan your day around how your joints feel. Medication and cortisone can mask the pain for a while, and surgery is a big step that not everyone wants or can have. Regenerative medicine, which we call orthobiologics, offers another path. At Sellers Sports Medicine in Tempe, our sports medicine physicians concentrate substances from your own body and place them precisely where you’re hurt, helping your body target that spot so you can get back to the activities you love.

What Is Regenerative Medicine?

Regenerative medicine is a common name for an approach to musculoskeletal care that works with your body’s natural healing response instead of relying only on pain medication or surgery. The treatments use substances already found in your body, called orthobiologics, which in higher concentrations may help create a healthier micro-environment for healing in injured tendons, ligaments, cartilage and joints.

High-level athletes have used these treatments for years to recover from injury. Advances in orthobiologic medicine now make them available to any patient who is a good candidate. Every orthobiologic procedure at our clinic is done in-office, and injections are guided with diagnostic ultrasound so the treatment reaches the right tissue.

Read the regenerative medicine overview from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Signs Regenerative Medicine May Be Right for You

Regenerative treatment is usually considered when pain has lasted despite rest, physical therapy, bracing or medication. You may be a candidate if:

• Knee, hip, shoulder or ankle arthritis is limiting your walking, workouts or sleep
• Tendon pain such as tennis elbow, rotator cuff tendinopathy or Achilles pain has lasted for months
• A ligament sprain or partial tear hasn’t fully recovered
• Cortisone shots helped for a while but the relief didn’t last
• You want to delay or avoid joint replacement or other major surgery, or you aren’t a surgical candidate

An evaluation with diagnostic ultrasound shows what’s actually happening in the joint or tendon, so you can choose a plan with confidence.

Our Orthobiologic Treatment Options

Dr. Sellers matches the treatment to your diagnosis, the tissue involved and how advanced the damage is.

PRP Therapy

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy concentrates the platelets from a small sample of your own blood and injects them into and around the injured area to stimulate the body’s healing response. Our PRP is concentrated enough that most treatments need only one injection. It’s commonly used for tendon problems, ligament injuries and mild to moderate arthritis.

MFAT Injections

For more advanced joint arthritis, MFAT injections use microfragmented adipose (fat) tissue, processed in the office with an Apex Biologix system, to provide cushion and support and help create a healthy environment for healing. A small amount of fat is gathered and processed during the same visit.

Supporting Treatments

Orthobiologic injections are often paired with MLS laser therapy to calm pain and inflammation, and with a rehab plan to rebuild strength. Dr. Sellers will explain which combination makes sense for you.

Conditions We Treat With Regenerative Medicine

Knee and Hip

Knee arthritis, meniscus tears, patellar and hamstring tendinopathy, hip arthritis, gluteal tendinopathy, bursitis and labral tears.

Shoulder and Elbow

Shoulder arthritis, rotator cuff tendinopathy and tears, labral tears, AC joint injuries, tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow.

Wrist, Hand, Ankle and Foot

Basal joint (thumb) arthritis, TFCC tears, Achilles tendon pain, ankle arthritis and instability, ligament sprains and plantar fasciitis.

What to Expect at Your Visit

1. Evaluation. Dr. Sellers reviews your history, examines the area and uses diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound to see the injured tissue.
2. Treatment plan. Together you decide whether PRP, MFAT or another option fits your goals.
3. Preparation. Depending on the treatment, a small blood sample or a small amount of adipose tissue is collected and processed in the office.
4. Ultrasound-guided injection. The treatment is placed precisely into and around the damaged tissue.
5. Recovery plan. You’ll get instructions for activity, rehab and follow-up.

Results vary from person to person, and Dr. Sellers will talk through realistic expectations for your condition before treatment.

Regenerative Medicine for Tempe Athletes and Active Adults

Tempe stays active all year. Runners and cyclists around Tempe Town Lake, hikers on South Mountain and Papago, golfers across the Valley and a fast-growing pickleball crowd all put repeated stress on their knees, shoulders, elbows and Achilles tendons. The East Valley’s large active-adult population also lives with knee and shoulder arthritis that gets in the way of everyday life. Orthobiologic care helps many of these patients stay active and avoid surgery.

Our clinic on South Mill Avenue is a short drive for patients throughout the area.

Service-area line: We see regenerative medicine patients from Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Gilbert, Guadalupe and Ahwatukee.

• Experience. Dr. Joel S. Sellers, DO, has practiced sports medicine in the Phoenix area since 1987, holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine (CAQSM) and is a Fellow of the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine.
• Sports medicine training. Dr. Tom Sellers, DO, completed a sports medicine fellowship and has special interests in musculoskeletal ultrasound, ultrasound-guided injections and orthobiologics, including PRP.
• Elite-level care. Dr. Joel Sellers has served as team physician for the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Rattlers and USA Wrestling.
• Precision. Dr. Joel Sellers is one of the few physicians in Arizona board certified in Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound, so every injection is guided to the right spot.
• Patients agree. 4.8 stars from 138 Google reviews. Read our patient reviews.

Learn more about our physicians and team.

Regenerative Medicine FAQs

Is regenerative medicine the same as surgery?

No. Regenerative medicine treatments, also called orthobiologics, are in-office injections made from your own blood or tissue. They don’t involve surgery and can be an option for patients who want to avoid or can’t have major surgery.

Which is better, PRP or MFAT?

It depends on your condition. PRP is often used for tendon and ligament problems and milder arthritis, while MFAT is often considered for more advanced joint arthritis. Dr. Sellers will recommend the best fit after an ultrasound evaluation.

How many treatments will I need?

Many patients need only one treatment for a given area. Dr. Sellers will discuss what to expect for your condition.

Do orthobiologic injections hurt?

Most patients feel pressure or soreness at the injection site, and some soreness can last a few days. Dr. Sellers will explain what to expect beforehand.

Can regenerative medicine help me avoid joint replacement?

For some patients it can relieve pain and help them stay active longer, but results vary and no outcome is guaranteed. An evaluation is the best way to find out if you’re a good candidate.

Is regenerative medicine right for me?

That depends on your diagnosis, health history and goals. An evaluation with diagnostic ultrasound is the best way to find out.

Visit Our Tempe Clinic

Sellers Sports Medicine
1492 S Mill Ave, Suite 307, Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 426-2667 · Info@SellersSportsMed.com
Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 am–5:00 pm, Fri 9:00 am–1:00 pm

Related Services

• PRP Therapy
• MFAT Injections
• Orthobiologics
• MLS Laser Therapy