The Current State of Stem Cell Therapies in Sports Medicine

The theoretical clinical potential of stem cells in the orthopaedic sports medicine setting is unprecedented. The application of cellular-based treatments, such as stem cells, represents a fascinating and continuously evolving therapeutic approach into treating underlying pathologies. In recent years, technological advancements and innovation have shifted the mindset of clinicians from treating symptomatology to fundamentally altering the underlying disease process at the primordial molecular level. However, confusion created throughout the media and popular press, existence of unlicensed clinics throughout the world, ongoing regulatory debates, safety standards, and ethical concerns are among the many obstacles preventing the widespread clinical use of stem cells. Additionally, researchers and clinicians continue to struggle with identifying ideal dosage, timing, and frequency of treatments required for various indications to achieve maximum effectiveness in tissue-specific sites. Despite these barriers, the orthopaedic clinical application of stem cells has rapidly expanded from animal models to human clinical trials investigating various musculoskeletal conditions. Promising preclinical and clinical studies continue to provide critical insight necessary to fully elucidate the in vivo therapeutic effects of stem cells in the clinical application of orthopaedic sports medicine injuries and pathologies.