Can Stem Cells Repair Torn Ligaments or Tendons?

Injuries to ligaments and tendons are common, especially among athletes, active individuals, and people with physically demanding jobs. Additionally, trauma, like a motor vehicle accident or simply falling on a hard surface, is enough to damage ligaments or tendons.

These tissues have a limited blood supply, which results in slow and incomplete healing. The research shows that once sprained or stretched, ligaments typically only heal back to 50 to 80% of their pre-injury strength. This causes a relative instability of the joint, which causes the brain to send messages to the surrounding muscles to remain in a state of partial contraction. This causes most of the pain, inflammation, and degeneration.

Modern medicine has very little to offer other than sending someone to physical therapy, medications for pain & inflammation, or surgery. This has led many patients to explore whether stem cell therapy can help repair torn ligaments or tendons more effectively. Spoiler alert, they can, as long as it isn’t a complete tear. Most tears are partial and occur with the ligament or tendon attaches to the bone.

So, can stem cells actually speed up healing or even regenerate these structures?

Understanding Ligaments and Tendons

Before looking at stem cells, it helps to understand the tissues involved:

Ligaments connect bone to bone and stabilize joints.
Tendons connect muscles to bones and help you move.

Both are made of tough, fibrous collagen and don’t regenerate quickly, if at all. Traditional treatments include rest, physical therapy, PRP (platelet-rich plasma), and surgery in severe cases.

How Stem Cell Therapy Works

Most ligament and tendon treatments use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from:

Bone marrow
Fat tissue
Umbilical cord tissue is, by far, the best type to use.

These stem cells are injected into the injured area to:

Promote tissue healing
Reduce inflammation
Stimulate collagen production
Encourage the regeneration of stronger, healthier fibers
Many people believe that these cells become your cells, not really. What they actually do is to reinvigorate your own stem cells to help activate them and improve their function. Young stem cells, like those from umbilical cords, also donate mitochondria to your stem cells, which is the main reason your stem cells start working properly.

Can Stem Cells Actually Repair Tears?

1. Partial Tears

Research shows that stem cells may help heal partial tears more quickly and more completely. They can:

Improve collagen organization
Reduce scar tissue
Strengthen the injured area
Improve mobility and pain levels

Many athletes recover faster with stem cell therapy compared to standard treatment alone.

2. Complete Tears

This is where results are mixed.

Stem cells cannot reattach a completely torn ligament or tendon. For full-thickness tears like a fully ruptured ACL or Achilles tendon, surgery is usually required to repair or reconstruct the tissue.

However, stem cells will definitely support healing after surgery by improving recovery time and promoting stronger tissue formation.

What the Research Shows

Studies suggest:

MSCs can enhance tendon and ligament healing in mild to moderate injuries.
They help reduce inflammation and scar tissue.
Some evidence shows improved strength and structural quality of the repaired tissue.
Long-term data are still limited, and larger clinical trials are ongoing.

While promising, neither stem cell therapy nor any medical procedure is a guaranteed cure, and it is not yet approved as a standard medical treatment. With our current system, that will likely never happen. You see, Big Pharma & the medical device manufacturers control the FDA as well as most of the research money, what gets published in the medical journals, and what doctors learn in continuing education. Since stem cells can’t be patented, no company will spend the 1 to 2 billion dollars needed to take it through the approval process.

Who May Benefit Most?

Stem cell therapy may be helpful for:

Partial ligament tears of the medial collateral, lateral collateral, anterior cruciate, and posterior cruciate ligaments.
Mild to moderate tendon tears (rotator cuff, patellar, Achilles, elbow tendons)
Chronic tendinopathy (long-term inflammation or degeneration)
Athletes trying to avoid or delay surgery

Benefits Often Reported by Patients

Many patients experience:

Reduced pain
Improved mobility
Faster recovery
Better tissue function
Less stiffness and swelling

However, results vary depending on injury severity and overall health.

Limitations and Risks

Limitations

Complete ruptures usually require surgery, not stem cells alone.
Outcomes vary and are not guaranteed.
Costs can be high and are not covered by insurance. The exception is personal injury insurance. Health share plans will also cover it.
Protocols differ between providers, affecting results.

Possible Risks

Stem cell injections are generally safe, but risks include:

Temporary swelling or pain
Infection
No improvement in symptoms
Rare tissue reactions

Conclusion:

Stem cells show strong potential for helping repair partial ligament and tendon tears by improving healing quality and reducing recovery time. However, they cannot fix completely torn structures on their own.

Overall, stem cell therapy is a promising treatment, especially for patients seeking alternatives to surgery or hoping to enhance post-surgical recovery.