Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Stem Cell Therapy in Berlin

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain, and many patients worry that surgery is only a matter of time. Modern treatment options can preserve the joint and reduce pain without a major procedure. Stem cell therapy can be a sensible alternative, particularly in early to moderate stages of osteoarthritis and after knee injuries. Dr Andreas Dahmen treats knee osteoarthritis and cartilage damage in Berlin-Tempelhof, including many athletes.

What symptoms can indicate osteoarthritis or cartilage damage?

The cartilage in the knee joint has an important job: it cushions impact, allows smooth movement, and protects the bones. In knee osteoarthritis, this cartilage gradually wears away. The joint responds with inflammation, swelling, and increasing pain. Knee osteoarthritis rarely develops overnight. Typical causes include years of wear, excess weight, congenital misalignment, and earlier injuries to the knee.

What symptoms does knee osteoarthritis cause?

Pain on exertion, for example when climbing stairs or walking
Start-up pain after sitting or standing up
Swelling and warmth in the knee joint
Reduced mobility — the knee can no longer fully bend
A feeling of instability — the knee gives way or feels unsteady
Declining ability to cope with load during sport

If several of these symptoms occur together and persist, the knee should be examined. The earlier this happens, the more treatment options remain available.

Can a sports injury lead to knee osteoarthritis?

Many people associate knee osteoarthritis with age and wear. That’s true, but it isn’t the whole picture. Younger, sporty people can also develop knee osteoarthritis, particularly when the joint has been pre-damaged by injury.

Typical injuries that can increase the risk of osteoarthritis:

This patient group in particular often benefits from an early, joint-preserving treatment approach, because the joint is usually still structurally intact enough to support regenerative processes.

Who is a good candidate for stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis?

Not every patient with knee osteoarthritis is automatically a suitable candidate for stem cell therapy. An individual examination is always the first step. In our experience, the following patient groups benefit particularly:

Early to moderate stages of knee osteoarthritis (grade 1 to 3)
Patients with cartilage damage following sports injuries
Persistent symptoms that haven't responded adequately to physiotherapy or pain management
Patients who want to avoid or delay knee surgery or a knee replacement
Active people for whom mobility and physical resilience are especially important

Whether the therapy is right for you is something we clarify in a personal consultation and after assessing your results.

How does stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis work?

Stem cell therapy relies on your own body’s regenerative capacity. No donor material and no artificial substances are used, only your own cells.

Here’s how it works: your own stem cells are taken from your abdominal fat tissue. Fat tissue contains significantly more stem cells than bone marrow, which makes extraction from there especially efficient. The stem cells are then processed, concentrated, and injected directly into the affected knee joint.

There, they can act as an anti-inflammatory, stimulate natural healing processes, and support joint function. The goal isn’t just pain relief, but the long-term preservation of the joint.

What are the advantages of stem cell therapy over knee surgery?

Knee surgery is sometimes unavoidable. But for many patients, there’s a point at which stem cell therapy is a genuine alternative, without the risks and downtime of a major procedure.

Uses your own material — no donor substances
Minimally invasive, outpatient procedure
Short recovery time
Preserves the joint
Can be planned around your individual situation

Implant or artificial joint
Major procedure, under general anaesthetic
Weeks to months of rehabilitation
The joint is replaced or altered
A standardised procedure

Important: stem cell therapy is not a cure-all and doesn’t replace surgery in every case. In advanced osteoarthritis, a joint replacement may be the better choice — something we discuss with you openly and honestly.

Artificial knee joint or stem cell therapy — which is the better choice?

Patients who see a doctor about knee osteoarthritis are sometimes quickly recommended a joint replacement. That can be the right decision, but it doesn't have to be.

An artificial knee joint is a permanent procedure. The natural bone is removed and an implant is fitted. This is a well-established approach and is often the best solution for severe osteoarthritis. But it also means a long healing process and limitations, particularly for people who are physically active.

Stem cell therapy aims to preserve the natural joint. It isn't a replacement for an artificial joint in severe osteoarthritis, but for many patients it can be the step that delays surgery by years, or makes it unnecessary altogether.

The honest answer is that there’s no blanket decision. We look closely at your findings and discuss together which path is right for you.

How does knee osteoarthritis treatment without surgery at Proarthros in Berlin work?

Step 1 — Diagnosis and examination

We always start with a detailed conversation. We ask about your symptoms, your history, and any existing results. This is followed by a clinical examination of the knee. If you don’t already have a current MRI scan, we carry this out directly in our practice. Only on this basis do we plan your individual treatment.

Step 2 — Stem cell therapy

Treatment itself takes place in a single appointment and takes around two hours. Under local anaesthetic, we take a small amount of your own fat tissue from the abdomen. The stem cells it contains are processed and concentrated using a patented method developed in collaboration with Arthrex, then injected directly into the affected knee joint.

Step 3 — Aftercare

The knee should be rested at first. In the first week, avoid intensive sport so the joint can adjust to the new cells undisturbed. We see you for a first follow-up appointment after just 2 to 3 days. After around six weeks, a platelet-rich plasma (autologous blood) treatment follows to further support the stem cells and their effect. After that, we discuss together how the therapy is progressing and plan the return to load-bearing activity.

Why choose Proarthros for knee osteoarthritis in Berlin?

Stem cell therapy is now offered by a number of providers. The difference lies in experience and the quality of preparation.

Specialised in
joint-preserving therapies
for knee osteoarthritis and cartilage damage

Over 25 years
of experience in orthopaedics
and sports medicine

One of the highest
case numbers in this field
in Germany

Preparation method
developed and refined in collaboration with Arthrex

Personal care
from Dr Dahmen,
not delegated to junior doctors

Extensive experience with
sports injuries and their long-term consequences

Located in Berlin-Tempelhof, easily accessible from across the city.
Patients come to us from Berlin, across Germany, and internationally.

Frequently asked questions about stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis

Can stem cell therapy help avoid knee surgery?

In suitable patients, the treatment can help significantly reduce symptoms and delay — or avoid — surgical procedures. This depends on your individual findings and the severity of the osteoarthritis. We discuss this openly with you during your consultation.

Does stem cell therapy also help with cartilage damage in the knee?

Yes. The therapy is used for cartilage damage in the knee to stimulate natural regenerative processes. Whether it’s suitable for your specific case is something we assess individually.

Is knee osteoarthritis treatable after a sports injury?

Yes — in fact, patients whose osteoarthritis developed after a sports injury such as a meniscus or cruciate ligament injury are often particularly good candidates for joint-preserving treatment, provided the joint is examined early.

How long does the treatment take?

The treatment itself takes place in a single appointment lasting around two hours. The first changes are often noticeable after a few weeks, with the full picture usually visible after several months.

Is the treatment painful?

Both the fat tissue extraction and the injection into the knee are carried out under local anaesthetic. The procedure itself is generally well tolerated.

Which stage of osteoarthritis is stem cell therapy suitable for?

Most commonly early to moderate knee osteoarthritis, grade 1 to 3. Whether the therapy makes sense for your findings is something we clarify individually after examination and MRI assessment.

What does stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis cost?

Stem cell therapy is a private (self-pay) treatment and isn’t covered by UK or German statutory health insurance. We’ll give you transparent information on the exact costs during your initial consultation.

Treating knee osteoarthritis without surgery — start with a consultation

Knee pain, cartilage damage, or a knee osteoarthritis diagnosis doesn’t have to mean surgery straight away. We’ll take a close look at your situation and discuss whether stem cell therapy could be an option for you.
Feel free to call us on +49 172 655 5535 or email us at info@praxisdahmen.de