By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2026 · 5 min read Watch the Full Video Dextrose prolotherapy is one of the oldest regenerative injection therapies still in use today, yet most patients have never heard of it. The concept is simple: inject a concentrated sugar solution into or around a damaged joint to trigger the body’s natural healing response. But does the science actually support this approach for knee arthritis ? In this post, we review the clinical trial ev

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2026 · 7 min read Watch the Full Video Stem cell therapy continues to generate excitement as a potential treatment for chronic joint pain. Among the various sources of stem cells being studied, umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells have emerged as a particularly interesting option. Unlike bone marrow or adipose-derived stem cells — which are harvested from the patient's own body — umbilical cord stem cells come from donate

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2025 · 7 min read Watch the Full Video Rotator cuff disease is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain, accounting for up to 70% of all shoulder complaints. The condition spans a wide spectrum — from tendinopathy and subacromial impingement to partial and full-thickness tears — and the vast majority of cases can be managed without surgery. But when pain is severe enough to prevent participation in physical therapy , injecti

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2026 · 5 min read Watch the Full Video Tennis elbow — clinically known as lateral epicondylitis or lateral elbow tendinopathy — is one of the most common causes of elbow pain. It develops when the common extensor tendon in the forearm is subjected to repetitive overuse or overloading, leading to microtears that weaken the tendon over time. The result is chronic pain, reduced grip strength, and difficulty performing everyday tasks.

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2026 · 6 min read Watch the Full Video Platelet rich plasma injections and stem cell injections are two of the most talked-about orthobiologic treatments for knee osteoarthritis. Both have demonstrated clinically significant pain relief and functional improvement in clinical trials. However, stem cell therapy is often marketed as a superior treatment and comes with a much higher price tag. But does the evidence actually support th

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2025 · 7 min read Watch the Full Video Rotator cuff disorders are among the most common causes of shoulder pain, contributing significantly to lost function and decreased quality of life. When conservative measures such as physical therapy and activity modification fall short, many patients are offered cortisone injections. While cortisone provides strong short-term pain relief and anti-inflammatory effects, growing evidence sugge

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2025 · 5 min read Watch the Full Video Hyaluronic acid injections and PRP therapy are two of the most effective non-surgical treatments for hip osteoarthritis. Both have been shown to reduce pain and improve function — but is one better than the other? And if both work, does combining them into a single injection produce even better results? A recently published randomized clinical trial directly compared PRP alone, hyaluronic ac

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2026 · 5 min read Watch the Full Video Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common causes of hand pain and numbness, affecting millions of people each year. Injections are frequently used to provide symptom relief, but which type of injection delivers the best results? A systematic review and network meta-analysis compared three injection options — platelet-rich plasma (PRP) , dextrose prolotherapy, and corticosteroids — to

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2026 · 10 min read Watch the Full Video One of the most common questions patients ask at their first consultation is whether their health insurance will cover platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections . It is an understandable concern — PRP is one of the most effective nonsurgical treatments available for conditions like knee osteoarthritis and chronic tendon injuries, yet the vast majority of insurance companies in the United States

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video Thumb arthritis is one of the most common — and underappreciated — causes of hand pain and disability. The carpometacarpal (CMC) joint at the base of the thumb bears tremendous load throughout the day: opening jars, turning keys, gripping a pen, pinching small objects. When osteoarthritis develops at this joint, even routine tasks become painful and limiting. Traditional treatments such as sp

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2025 · 6 min read Watch the Full Video If you are dealing with persistent shoulder pain — whether from a rotator cuff tear, tendinopathy, or impingement — your doctor may have recommended a cortisone injection. Cortisone is a well-established treatment that can provide quick symptom relief. But recent clinical evidence suggests that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may offer superior long-term results for many shoulder conditions. In t

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 30 min read Watch the Full Video Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have generated significant attention for their ability to treat joint pain, tendon injuries, and accelerate recovery using your body’s own healing mechanisms. But with growing interest comes a flood of questions: Does PRP actually work? How does it compare to cortisone or stem cells? Is the cost justified when insurance does not cover it? In this compreh

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video Cortisone injections have been a staple of musculoskeletal medicine for decades. They are fast, relatively inexpensive, and can deliver meaningful short-term pain relief for conditions ranging from arthritis to tendinitis and bursitis. But what does the clinical evidence actually say about the long-term consequences of cortisone shots on your tendons and joints? In my practice as a sports me

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video If you have been dealing with persistent tendon pain — whether in the Achilles, patellar tendon, elbow, or rotator cuff — you have probably been told you have "tendonitis" and that the problem is inflammation. But here is the truth: most chronic tendon pain has very little to do with inflammation. The real culprit is tendon degeneration , and the underlying cause is often as much metabolic as

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic (semaglutide), Wegovy, and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) have transformed the landscape of medical weight loss. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes management, these medications are now generating excitement for an entirely different reason: their potential role in treating arthritis . Emerging clinical evidence suggests that GLP-1 agonists may not only r

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video Stem cell therapy has become one of the most talked-about treatments in the world of joint pain and arthritis. The promise is alluring: a single injection that could repair damaged cartilage, eliminate chronic pain, and restore mobility without surgery. But does the science actually support the hype? As a sports medicine physician who specializes in orthobiologic treatments , I want to walk

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 5 min read Watch the Full Video If you have knee osteoarthritis and conventional treatments like over-the-counter pain medications or cortisone injections have not provided adequate relief, genicular nerve blocks may be a treatment worth considering. This ultrasound-guided procedure targets the specific nerves responsible for transmitting knee pain to the brain, offering meaningful short-term relief that can help you get mo

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