Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine in New York City, NY

Medically reviewed by Dr. David Borenstein, MD. Last reviewed November 2026.

In short: Dr. David Borenstein is a Manhattan physician board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation who has worked with regenerative treatments for joint, tendon and back pain for over two decades. He evaluates whether you are a candidate for stem-cell-based treatment, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or prolotherapy, and explains what the evidence and FDA status say about each before you decide.

Your knee aches on the subway stairs. Your shoulder wakes you at night. Physical therapy helped a little, cortisone helped for a few weeks, and the surgeon says you’re “not bad enough” for a replacement yet. So you start searching for stem cells.

You’ll find clinics promising to regrow cartilage and “cure” arthritis. Be careful. Regenerative medicine uses the body’s own healing biology, through injections of concentrated cells or platelets, to try to reduce pain and support tissue repair. It can help some patients. It is not a cure, and most stem cell products sold for joints are not FDA-approved.

Dr. Borenstein will tell you which option fits your condition, what results are realistic, and when surgery or physical therapy is the better choice. Call (212) 262-2412 or request a consultation.

What is stem cell therapy?

Stem cells are cells that can divide and develop into other cell types. In musculoskeletal medicine, interest centers on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can become bone, cartilage or tendon cells in the lab and release signaling molecules that affect inflammation. Researchers are still working out how much of the effect in joints comes from the cells themselves versus those signals.

Types of regenerative treatments and their FDA status

Treatment	Source	FDA status for joint and pain use	Where it stands
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)	Your own blood, concentrated	Processed with FDA-cleared devices; used off-label for joints	Most clinical-trial data of the injection options for knee arthritis and tendon injuries; results vary
Prolotherapy	Dextrose solution	Not a stem cell product; long-used injection technique	Modest evidence for some tendon and ligament problems
Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC)	Your own bone marrow, same-day	Can fall under FDA’s same-surgical-procedure exception when minimally processed	Early evidence; more invasive harvest
Fat-derived cells (SVF)	Your own fat tissue	FDA lists as unapproved	Investigational
Umbilical cord, Wharton’s jelly, amniotic products	Donor tissue	Unapproved for these uses	Investigational; FDA has issued warning letters to sellers
Exosomes	Lab-processed cell products	FDA has issued safety alerts	Not approved for any use

Who may be a candidate

Dr. Borenstein evaluates patients with:

• Knee, hip or shoulder osteoarthritis (mild to moderate)
• Rotator cuff tendinopathy or partial tears
• Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
• Patellar tendinopathy (“jumper’s knee”) and runner’s knee
• Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis
• Ligament sprains that haven’t healed
• Low back and neck pain

Regenerative injections are usually not the right choice for bone-on-bone arthritis with severe deformity, active infection, some cancers or blood disorders, or for anyone expecting a guaranteed cartilage regrowth.

Why see a physiatrist for regenerative medicine

Physiatrists (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physicians) specialize in non-surgical treatment of muscles, joints, tendons and nerves. Dr. Borenstein is board-certified in this specialty, has published in the European Journal of Ultrasound, and has used injection-based treatments for musculoskeletal pain for more than 20 years. He combines injections with the rest of your care: rehab exercises, inflammation, nutrition, and hormones that affect tissue healing, such as low testosterone or estrogen after menopause.

What to expect

1. Evaluation. History, exam and a review of your imaging (X-ray or MRI). He may order new imaging.
2. Honest recommendation. Which treatment fits, which doesn’t, expected odds of benefit, cost, and alternatives including physical therapy and surgery referral.
3. Procedure. Injections are done in the office. For PRP, a small sample of your blood is concentrated and injected into the injured area.
4. Recovery. Soreness for a few days is common. Most patients return to normal activity within days, with a guided rehab plan.
5. Follow-up. Improvement, when it happens, typically builds over 6–12 weeks. Some patients need a series.

Risks

Any injection carries risk of pain, swelling, bruising, infection, and nerve or blood vessel injury. Results are not guaranteed. The FDA warns that unapproved stem cell products have caused serious harms elsewhere, including infections and blindness; this is why Dr. Borenstein discusses product source and FDA status with every patient.

How to choose a stem cell clinic in NYC: red flags

• Promises to cure arthritis, MS, autism, COPD or “reverse aging”
• Claims of “no side effects” or “100% safe”
• One treatment offered for dozens of unrelated conditions
• No physician exam or imaging review before the procedure
• Pressure to pay for a package the same day
• Vague answers about where the cells come from and their FDA status

Frequently asked questions

Is stem cell therapy legal in New York?

Physicians in New York can perform treatments using a patient’s own minimally processed cells or blood, such as PRP, in their office. Most donor-derived stem cell products, such as umbilical cord and amniotic products, are not FDA-approved for joint or anti-aging use.

Is stem cell therapy FDA approved?

Only for certain blood disorders. According to the FDA, the only approved stem cell products are blood-forming stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. No stem cell product is FDA-approved for arthritis or joint pain.

What is the difference between PRP and stem cell therapy?

PRP concentrates platelets from your blood, which release growth factors. Stem cell therapy uses cells from bone marrow, fat or donor tissue. PRP is simpler, less expensive and better studied for knee arthritis and tendon injuries.

Does stem cell therapy regrow cartilage?

There is not yet reliable evidence that injections regrow meaningful cartilage in humans. The realistic goals are less pain and better function.

How long do results last?

In patients who respond, benefit from PRP for knee arthritis often lasts 6–12 months or longer. Many factors affect this, including weight, activity and arthritis severity.

Can stem cells help with conditions other than joints?

That research is ongoing and mostly in clinical trials. Dr. Borenstein does not offer stem cell treatment for neurologic, lung or autoimmune disease outside a trial.

Reserve your evaluation

Before you pay for an injection, get an honest opinion from a physician who treats joints without surgery. Call Dr. Borenstein at (212) 262-2412 or contact us here. Manhattan office at 308 Fifth Avenue; Fridays in Huntington.

This page is for education. Stem cell and other regenerative treatments are not FDA-approved for musculoskeletal conditions unless stated. Individual results vary.

Serving patients across New York City: Manhattan (Midtown, NoMad, Flatiron, Chelsea, Murray Hill, Gramercy, the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side), Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, plus Long Island, Westchester and the greater New York metro area.