Stem Cell Recruitment Therapy for Foot and Ankle Pain – Insurance Covered Amniotic Allograft Injections

Most people do not realize that there are over 25 bones and 30 joints in the human foot, all of which may lead to painful issues in one’s life. Considering that during walking ALL of one’s bodyweight goes through each foot, the repetitive forces may be considerable and lead to a painful degeneration.

When foot and ankle pain becomes chronic, it’s a very hard thing to ignore. Because EVERY step is a reminder! The symptoms may lead to a person not being able to participate in desired recreational activities, playing with one’s kids/grandkids, or being able to work. While surgery is a last resort option, traditional nonoperative treatments consist of the following:

Cortisone injections – also known as steroid injections, they have been in existence for over 50 years. When they were first introduced, providers made the rule that patients should only have three of them in a LIFETIME due to the potential risks.

For some reason, over time providers changed that mantra to offering several cortisone injections each year. Also, insurance companies consider steroid injections as a “gold standard”, so providers often turn to them for that reason as well. However, the risks of cortisone

While studies have shown that steroid procedures may provide a few weeks of relief, they don’t actually help with the problem itself. They are a “band aid”, and may actually lead to cartilage degradation (The Deterioration of Articular Cartilage in Osteoarthritis by Corticosteroid Injections,Journal of Prolotherapy. 2009).

Another popular treatment for foot and ankle pain issues consists of orthotics. These are either off the shelf or custom made, and may provide considerable pain relief. They are a great, conservative option for those desiring to avoid the need for potentially risky surgery.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, known as NSAIDs, are extremely common for conservative treatment. They are available over the counter and may include Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Advil, Voltaren, or any number of other brands. Most of the time, they are safe when taken according to manufacturer’s recommended dosing. However, when taken chronically or in high dosing, they may lead to kidney problems or GI conditions like an ulcer.

Over 100,000 hospitalizations occur annually in the US due to GI related complications. This can be minor or lead to death.

Narcotics are prescribed at times for foot and ankle pain. For a short period of time, that may be very safe. When opiates are prescribed chronically for foot and ankle pain, this may lead to constipation, tolerance and possibly even addiction. They just are not a great idea for chronic foot and ankle pain management.

Physical Therapy may also be helpful for foot and ankle pain. Whether PT is performed in a formal setting or an at home version, the treatments are typically helpful.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a treatment option that could actually repair or regenerate tissue damage as opposed to just creating a “band aid”? Now there actually is! Stem Cell Recruitment Therapy^TM is now available for all types of foot and ankle pain with amniotic fluid injections.

Amniotic fluid has been shown to be an immense source of cytokines, growth factors and hyaluronic acid. With Stem Cell Recruitment Therapy^TM, the amniotic fluid allograft is obtained from consenting donors after a scheduled c-section. The fluid is FDA regulated, and has been shown to be very safe.

R3 Medical offers amniotic fluid injections for many types of foot and ankle pain, with insurance coverage being provided through Medicare, Tricare and most commercial insurance companies.