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05

Injections

7 entries

Office-based injectables — from hyaluronic acid to high-dose PRP and cell therapies — ranked by what the randomized data actually shows.

Biologics

  • Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)Beats hyaluronic acid, couldn't beat saline — and the platelet-dose questionPromising
  • Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC)Real RCTs exist — and none show it beats saline, PRP, or a steroid shotPromising

Conventional

  • Hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation)Decades of use, tens of thousands of trial patients — and no clinically relevant benefitNot supported
  • Corticosteroid injectionsWeeks of real relief — and a randomized trial showing cartilage loss with repeat useCaution
  • Dextrose prolotherapySugar water with two blinded RCT wins — and one investigator network behind most of themPromising

Experimental

  • Adipose-derived cells (MFAT / SVF)One saline-controlled win, equivalence to PRP, and a US regulatory gray zonePromising
  • Culture-expanded MSC injectionsThe most interesting cell data in the field — all of it from tiny trialsPromising

In this section

  • Biologics
  • Conventional
  • Experimental

How to read the tags.

Strong — multiple RCTs. Promising — early human trials. Preclinical — animal / in-vitro. Anecdotal — community reports. Not supported — trials show no meaningful benefit.

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