There’s no question the pain and debilitating effects of Muscle Injuries affect not just Athletes, but the general populace. Muscle Sprains can be disruptive affecting the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) because of the Sprain’s effect on one’s mobility. Aside from the pain experienced, and the temporary concession of physical limitations, an individual has to consider the ‘time-cost’ of recovery, and the unmet desire for full-throttle physicality. Because of the disruptive nature of Muscle Sprains, and the shortcomings of traditional rehabilitation Strategies, Musculoskeletal (MSK) practitioners are exploring the realm of Regenerative Medicine to address the limitations of current medical practices. Sprains result in the formation of fibrous scar tissue, and in traditional approaches, that leads to weaknesses and compromised muscle integrity. A stem cell treatment has the potential to revolutionize the rehabilitation of muscle integrity and healing and eliminate the lengthy processes and phases of rehabilitation. With the application of a stem cell therapeutic approach, the return of physical capabilities may be dramatically quicker.
Pathophysiological Muscle Sprains Mechanisms
To truly appreciate the challenges associated with Muscle Sprains healing and target healing, an understanding of the challenges arising from the damage of the muscle tissue and the pathophysiology is required. With injuries evolving from rapid stretching, trauma at the level of the muscle fibers results in the formation of multiple lesions at the muscle fibers. Following this, an injury-induced inflammatory response is triggered. Neutrophils and macrophages arrive at the injury site to remove necrotic cellular tissue. Although necessary, the inflammation response becomes an impediment to healing the muscle. Following the clearance of necrotic cellular tissue, the satellite cells, acting like a natural stem cell, that lie dormant beneath the muscle fiber basal lamina are activated. In the response to the injury, these progenitor cells proliferate and differentiate into myoblasts. Myoblasts serve the purpose of healing injury by fusing with and bridging the continuity of the damaged muscle fibers. However, the Trauma caused by severe acute Muscle Sprains is too much for the body’s natural healing system. Because of this, the overloaded healing system, lacking targeted stem cell intervention, resorts to making dense collagen fibers instead of functional muscle tissue.
Historical Treatments and Their Limitations
In the past, physicians depended on the conservative management of Muscle Sprains. The rest, ice, compression, elevation (RICE) protocol addresses the acute symptoms of muscle injuries but does not heal at a cellular or stem cell level. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) drugs are used to ease pain and inflammation. Surgery is only an option for completely ruptured injuries. There are many limitations to these approaches. Muscle atrophy occurs for the duration of the required rest. Injury is sustained to the muscle in the process. Macrophage activity is impaired by anti-inflammatory drugs. Lastly, due to the nature of conservative management, the formation of scar tissue is a given. This fibrotic tissue further decreases range of motion and increases the chance of sustaining the injury again. This results in a stagnation of rehabilitation.
Regenerative treatments using Biological Therapies
The limitations of conservative treatment for Muscle Sprains create an opportunity for regenerative biological therapies. The use of concentrated systems exogenously in the injured tissue aids in healing the tissue. The use of a stem cell application signals an opportunity to heal the tissue. The stem cells secrete factors to build tissue and aid in the recovery process. The use of stem cells also helps to heal the tissue and prevents the overactive immune response which causes scar tissue to form. In addition, the injected stem cell populations transform and become functional myoblasts. Instead of replacing ripped tissues with collagen, which is inelastic, the advanced regenerative mechanism replaces them with elastic contractile fibers. The advanced regenerative mechanism guarantees that severe Muscle Sprains do not take a long time to heal and do not become chronic problems in the future due to underlying weaknesses in the muscles. The mechanism is so advanced that it guarantees the restoration of functional blood flow to the newly formed muscle tissues.
Figure 1: Regenerative treatments using Biological Therapies
Future Treatment Trends Within Thailand
Southeast Asia has rapidly gained prominence as a new global hub for modern regenerative medicine, and in particular, Thailand has excelled in developing therapies for the application of advanced stem cell therapies for orthopedic medicine. Thai stem cell therapies are within the reach of many thanks to the advanced healthcare system and supportive government policies. The government policies are directed towards developing research in the field of cellular therapies. These policies have contributed to the rapid development of therapies for severe Muscle Sprains at a pace not yet seen in other countries. The rapid development of therapies is largely attributed to the Medical Tourism sector that has flourished as international patients search for Thai clinics offering advanced therapies at affordable prices. Research collaborations, that include local Thai universities, are aimed at developing Thai regenerative therapies for orthopedic medicine, while international research institutes are focused on stem cell therapy, thus ensuring that Thailand will remain a leader in this field for many years to come.