When we experience joint pain or a sports injury, the traditional medical path often feels like a series of “stop-gap” measures: anti-inflammatories to dull the pain, steroid injections to mask inflammation, and eventually, the conversation may turn toward surgery or other invasive measures. You may have already gone the surgical route, yet daily pain continues to affect your life.

At Meeting Point Health, we believe in a better way. We specialize in regenerative medicine, a field dedicated to using the body’s own biological tools to promote tissue regeneration and long-term healing. 

We know that navigating the world of modern medicine and treatment options can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to pull back the curtain and dissect this information for you. Whether it be a concussion, nerve or joint pain, hair loss, or a disc herniation, we want to simplify how we utilize this medicine so that you can understand more about how your body can heal. 

What is Regenerative Medicine?

Regenerative medicine is a subspecialty of medicine focused on one goal: healing from within. 

Its precursor dates as far back as 500 BC in Rome when hot needle therapy was used on soldiers with joint dislocation. Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine,” used this in his practice to heal. The heat caused a controlled, minor injury that sparked the body’s natural immune system. This triggered an inflammatory response, rushing new blood flow and collagen to the area to tighten and strengthen the ligaments. Today, we’ve traded the hot needles for specialized solutions (like hypertonic dextrose) and our treatments have significantly advanced, but the principle remains the same: stimulating the body’s own healing power to repair tissue from the inside out.

Rather than simply managing or masking symptoms, this field utilizes advanced techniques to promote actual tissue regeneration and repair. Our bodies have a remarkable power to heal, renew, and restore, and our regenerative therapies employ them to do so. 

By leveraging the body’s own natural healing agents, we can often repair damaged ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. This form of treatment serves as a strong, science-backed alternative to the overuse of steroids and the risks associated with invasive surgery. 

The Meeting Point Approach: Solving the Health Puzzle

The success of regenerative therapy depends largely on the accuracy of the diagnosis. This is where the expertise of Dr. Stephen Matta sets our clinic apart. As a triple board-certified physician in Family Medicine, Non-Surgical Orthopedics, and Stem Cell Therapy, Dr. Matta is a master diagnostician. He doesn’t just look at where it hurts; he treats every case like a complex puzzle. ​​Your recovery begins with a comprehensive physical evaluation. During your initial consultation, Dr. Matta performs an extensive assessment that goes far beyond the site of pain. He analyzes your movement patterns, muscle strength, joint mobility, and the quality of your fascia and connective tissues, while also evaluating nervous system performance.

This physical exam may be paired with high-resolution ultrasound to visualize the area of concern in real-time. By looking at the “puzzle” from multiple angles, Dr. Matta can pinpoint the source of dysfunction and identify any contributing factors. This thorough, expert-led process ensures that your personalized treatment plan is built on a foundation of diagnostic precision rather than guesswork. 

Advanced Tools for Natural Healing

To help patients alleviate pain and potentially avoid the operating room, Dr. Matta utilizes a sophisticated toolbox of regenerative pathways:

Advanced Injections & Cellular Therapies
  • PRP: An ultrasound-guided injection of your own harvested platelet-rich plasma that is oxygenated and ozonated to regenerate tissue.
  • Stem Cell Therapy: Using your body’s own stem cells or carefully selected biologic sources, we target areas of injury or degeneration to stimulate new tissue growth and reduce inflammation.
  • Prolotherapy & Prolozone: An ultrasound-guided injection that is a combination of procaine, dextrose, B vitamins, oxygen, and ozone to regenerate damaged tissue.
  • Peptide Therapy: Short-chain amino acids that act as cellular messengers to accelerate tissue repair and modulate the immune system.
Mechanical & Structural Restoration
  • Shockwave Therapy: A non-invasive treatment using acoustic sound waves to accelerate recovery, restore mobility, and help patients return to pain-free movement faster.
  • Osteopathic Manipulation & Medical Acupuncture: Hands-on and needle-based techniques used to realign the body’s framework and reduce physical tension that may be contributing to joint wear and dysfunction.
Neurological & Nerve Support
  • Nerve Hydrodissection: An ultrasound-guided injection to treat peripheral nerve entrapments by separating and protecting the nerve from surrounding tissue, fascia, or adjacent structures.
  • Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB): An injection into a cluster of nerves that can help the sympathetic nervous system, often used for chronic pain and “fight or flight” dysregulation.

A Balanced Approach: Is Regenerative Medicine Your Right Next Step?

While the growth of regenerative orthopedics offers a new frontier for healing, we maintain a high standard of clinical honesty: it may not be appropriate for every situation. In cases of extreme structural failure or advanced degeneration where the joint has lost its integrity, surgery may be a vital and necessary tool.

Real Patient Results

However, for a vast majority of patients, the surgical route is often offered prematurely. Our goal at Meeting Point Health is to bridge that gap. For many in the Philadelphia area and beyond, regenerative therapies serve as a powerful intervention that can effectively delay or entirely bypass the need for invasive procedures.

Our entire team at Meeting Point Health is eternally grateful to hear and see your success stories. 

Greg B. wrote on our Google Reviews, “I came to Meeting Point to treat old ankle and knee injuries and hip soreness. Dr. Matta recommended PRP treatment for my ankle and knee and I had terrific results, substantially reduced pain and increased strength. Also had great results with the treatment for my hip pain. I highly recommend Meeting Point.”

Results in Research

We remain committed to evidence-based care, and this allows us to further help our patients thrive. In the meta-analysis published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine (2025), researchers confirmed that Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) was statistically superior to placebo injections (saline) at every testing increment. The study followed nearly 2,000 patients and found that PRP consistently outperformed the placebo at the 1, 3, 6, and 12-month marks for both pain reduction and functional joint improvement.

The Biological Advantage: Why Repair is Worth the Wait

In a world of instant results and gratification, regenerative medicine requires a shift in perspective: it is a biological process, not a chemical mask. Unlike a corticosteroid injection, which often provides a temporary numbing effect within days, regenerative therapies work by initiating a complex repair cascade. 

Because we are asking your body to physically rebuild tissue, ligaments, and tendons, the process takes time. You are essentially restarting a healing cycle that may have been stalled for years. While many of our patients notice early improvements in mobility and pain relief, the true structural strengthening occurs over weeks and months as your body’s own cells do the heavy lifting. This approach sometimes requires patience, but the result is a durable, long-term solution rooted in actual repair rather than a fleeting patch.

Empowered Decision-Making with Dr. Matta

We believe that the best clinical outcomes happen when patients are empowered, not just treated. Dr. Steve Matta takes a patient-centered approach, working one-on-one with you to determine if you are a prime candidate for our regenerative therapies. By prioritizing your long-term recovery, he develops personalized treatment plans designed to explore every viable nonsurgical alternative first. If you are post-surgical or have had a joint replacement in the past, you can still benefit from regenerative medicine to reduce or eliminate pain. 

At Meeting Point Health, we aren’t just looking for a solution; we are looking for your solution.

Ready to discuss your treatment plan? Contact Meeting Point Health today to schedule a consultation in Philadelphia with Dr. Matta, and discover our regenerative medicine options that can get you back to feeling your best. 

References:

  • Bensa, A., Previtali, D., Sangiorgio, A., Boffa, A., Salerno, M., & Filardo, G. (2025). PRP Injections for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: The Improvement Is Clinically Significant and Influenced by Platelet Concentration: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 53, 745 – 754. 
  • Meeting Point Health – Regenerative Medicine 
  • Vaish, Abhishek & Murrell, William & Vaishya, Raju. (2020). History of regenerative medicine in the field of orthopedics. Journal of Arthroscopic Surgery and Sports Medicine. 1. 10.25259/JASSM_12_2020. 

Written by Amanda Bates, RN and medically reviewed by Dr. Stephen Matta.