NFL football is a game built for modern-day gladiators. Players endure tons of physical punishment, whether they’re being tackled or navigating through defenders, each game takes its toll on player’s bodies, making them prone to serious injuries.

The NFL reports ACL tears have been consistent since 2012, with 36 reported in 2016. Similarly, MCL tears are just as common, with 143 incidents reported last season. These devastating musculoskeletal injuries are excruciating both mentally and physically for athletes.

In response, many Seattle Seahawk players are quickly turning to a cutting-edge treatment called Regenokine to ease the pain caused by musculoskeletal injuries. But why?

THE USE OF OPIOID PAINKILLERS IN THE NFL

Many NFL players have turned to highly addictive opioid painkillers to manage overwhelming musculoskeletal pain.

The Washington Post cites 1,800 former NFL players claiming the league violated US federal law in prescribing painkillers to athletes. The players state that the NFL and team doctors encouraged their use of powerful painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. This is in direct contrast to the DEA’s guidelines on controlled substance distribution.

The large amounts of painkillers prescribed to NFL players have caused long-term organ and joint damage, and in some cases, have led to opioid addiction. For example, Hall of Famer Brett Farve got hooked on prescription Vicodin during the 1993 NFL season, regularly taking a month’s worth of painkillers daily.

REGENERATIVE MEDICINE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PAINKILLERS

As a natural alternative to potent painkillers, many players have turned to regenerative medicine to treat musculoskeletal pain.

Seattle Seahawks’ linebacker K.J Wright flew to England to undergo an injection therapy called Regenokine. Similar to platelet-rich plasma therapy, the procedure uses growth factors found in the patient’s blood to stimulate natural healing in the injured area. The difference between PRP therapy and Regenokine is that the latter is anti-inflammatory focused, whereas PRP focuses on regeneration.

Wright’s success with Regenokine injection therapy has encouraged five other Seahawk players to undergo the same procedure. It’s no wonder why the Seahawks were named the NFL’s 5th healthiest team last season!

HOW DOES REGENOKINE WORK?

Once the blood is extracted, it’s heated to a “fever-like” temperature before being spun in a centrifuge; then it separates into its constituent parts. From there, the concentrated serum, packed with anti-inflammatory cytokines, is injected back into the injured area.

The serum usually provides immediate pain relief, but it could be several weeks before the anti-inflammatory properties take effect.

HOW EFFECTIVE IS REGENOKINE TREATMENT?

Many reports show that ACS treatments like Regenokine reduce pain and increase mobility in patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis and unilateral lumbar radiculopathy. Other studies found that ACS treatments have no long-term clinical improvements for osteoarthritis. However, in all studies, there were no significant safety issues with ACS treatments like Regenokine.

How Much Does Regenokine Treatment Cost?

Regenokine treatments are beyond the average person’s budget, costing up to $10,000 – ten times more than PRP therapy. Regenokine is not typically covered by insurance, so it’s really only accessible to athletes, celebrities, and the insanely wealthy.

But as the benefits of regenerative medicine become mainstream, insurance companies may begin covering treatments, making Regenokine and other regenerative medicines, more attainable.

At RegenerVate, we don’t offer Regenokine, but if you’re looking for regenerative treatment for chronic joint and muscle pain, we offer injection therapy treatments to help you live a pain-free life (that’s 10x cheaper than Regenokine, too!).

Call us at 1-855-712-9901 to schedule an appointment, or drop by one of our RegenerVate locations today!