By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2025 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have become one of the most promising regenerative medicine treatments for osteoarthritis, tendon injuries, and other musculoskeletal conditions. Clinical trials continue to demonstrate that PRP can outperform many conventional treatments — but not all PRP is created equal. There are three critical mistakes that can undermine the effectiveness of your PR

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 10 min read Watch the Full Video Living with knee osteoarthritis often means navigating a confusing landscape of treatment options, especially when it comes to injections. If cortisone shots have given you little to no lasting improvement, you are far from alone. The good news is that there are several alternatives worth considering, and the clinical evidence behind them continues to grow. In this guide, we will compare the

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2025 · 20 min read Watch the Full Video What Is Knee Osteoarthritis and Why Is It So Complex? Knee osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is defined by the progressive loss of cartilage within the joint. Despite its prevalence, most patients have a limited understanding of the condition and the full range of treatment options available. In my practice, I frequently encounter patients who have received incomplete o

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 12 min read Watch the Full Video Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries, affecting athletes and older adults alike. They can cause significant pain and disability in some people, yet in others they produce no symptoms at all. This disconnect is one of the main reasons there is so much confusion surrounding meniscus tear treatment — patients often receive conflicting advice from different providers. In this a

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 7 min read Watch the Full Video Platelet-rich plasma ( PRP ) injections have become one of the most effective nonsurgical treatments for knee osteoarthritis. However, what many patients and even physicians do not realize is that not all PRP injections are created equal. The number of platelets delivered during treatment — known as platelet dosing — plays a critical role in determining whether PRP will actually work. In this

Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions I treat in my sports medicine practice, and it is also one of the most misunderstood. Patients frequently arrive with beliefs about their diagnosis that are not only inaccurate but are actively preventing them from getting better. Misinformation about osteoarthritis can lead to unnecessary fear of movement, delayed treatment, and a l

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Patients with severe knee osteoarthritis often face a difficult crossroads: exhausted conservative options, reluctance to pursue surgery, and uncertainty about whether emerging treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can still offer meaningful relief at an advanced stage of disease. In my sports medicine practice, I frequently see patients wit

Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 In my practice, one of the most common questions I hear from patients with knee arthritis is whether exercise is safe — and more specifically, whether strength training will make their joints worse. The evidence is clear: not only is strength training safe for most people with knee osteoarthritis, it is among the most effective interventions we have for red

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 4, 2026 | Last Updated: March 4, 2026 Knee cartilage lesions — including chondromalacia and osteochondral defects — have long been considered irreversible. Once cartilage wears down or detaches, the conventional wisdom has been that it simply cannot regenerate on its own. However, emerging evidence suggests that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections may not only reduce pain and impr

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 4, 2026 | Last Updated: March 4, 2026 Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions I treat in my sports medicine practice, and one of the most important conversations I have with patients is about exercise. Many people with knee pain assume they should avoid physical activity altogether, but the evidence tells a very different story. Among all forms of aerobic exercise, c

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 If you have been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, you are likely wondering what you can do to keep it from getting worse — and whether surgery is inevitable. In my practice as a sports medicine physician, I meet patients every day who are anxious about their diagnosis and overwhelmed by conflicting advice. The good news is that there are three

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Osteoarthritis affects millions of people worldwide, and one of the most common questions I hear from patients is whether dietary changes can meaningfully reduce joint pain. The answer, supported by a growing body of clinical evidence, is encouraging. Research now demonstrates that something as simple as eating berries on a daily basis may help r

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2025 | Last Updated: March 3, 2025 Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have become one of the most discussed treatments for knee osteoarthritis, yet misinformation remains widespread. Some orthopedic surgeons continue to dismiss PRP as unproven, while certain providers in regenerative medicine make exaggerated claims about regrowing an entirely new knee. The truth, as the latest

Research shows vitamin K intake may reduce knee arthritis pain and protect cartilage. Learn about the two forms of vitamin K, the best food sources, and how this nutrient fits into a comprehensive approach to managing osteoarthritis.

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Knee cracking, popping, and grinding are among the most common concerns I hear from patients in my sports medicine clinic. These sounds — collectively known as knee crepitus — can be alarming, especially when they seem to appear out of nowhere. The good news is that in most cases, noisy knees are completely harmless. However, understanding when c

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 If you are considering a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for knee pain, arthritis, or a tendon injury, there is one critical factor that will determine whether your treatment succeeds or fails—and most clinics never mention it. The effectiveness of PRP depends heavily on platelet dosing. Research now shows that injections with too few plate

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 If you are considering a PRP injection for knee arthritis, you may have come across the option to add hyaluronic acid (HA) to the treatment. It is a reasonable question: does combining PRP and hyaluronic acid actually produce better outcomes, or is it simply an expensive add-on with no meaningful benefit? The answer could influence your treatment

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 If you live with arthritis, you may have been told — or simply assumed — that pain is a sign of ongoing joint damage. This belief is not only inaccurate in many cases, but it can actually make your arthritis worse. The fear of pain leads to avoidance of movement, which sets off a cycle of weakness, stiffness, and accelerated joint decline. In my

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Emerging research suggests that probiotics may play a meaningful role in managing arthritis symptoms—an area that many patients and even some physicians have yet to fully explore. While arthritis has traditionally been viewed as a condition limited to the joints, a growing body of scientific evidence now points to the gut microbiome as a signific

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy has gained significant attention in recent years as a non-invasive treatment option for chronic pain and musculoskeletal conditions. Many of my patients ask about PEMF, and it is one of the most common questions I receive in my video comments. In my practice as a sports medicine physician in the San Fra