Scottsdale Biologics Register
These are the questions people ask about soreness and care
Start with the answer that fits your concern. Then take any unanswered question to your visit.
These replies can help you prepare. You'll still need an exam for advice about your joint.
The clinic owners publish this site
This site is operated by the owners of the QC Kinetix clinics in the Phoenix area, including the Scottsdale office in the Shea Boulevard corridor. Keep that business link in mind as you read.
Why is PRP not approved by the FDA?
In PRP, platelets are tiny pieces of your blood used in clotting and healing. Staff put your blood in a spinning machine, save those pieces, and give the joint shot. PRP isn't a manufactured drug sold in one standard form. Government clearance for the machine only means the equipment may be sold.
What usually causes an older joint to feel sore?
Wear, stiffness, and a busy day are common causes. A tendon may also get sore after repeated lifting or reaching. The sore spot alone may not tell you the cause. Get an exam when the trouble keeps returning.
What can I do at home for mild soreness?
Do less of the work that set off the flare. Keep the joint moving slowly and stop before the soreness turns sharp. Heat may loosen stiffness, while cold may calm swelling after activity. Get checked when simple care no longer helps.
Are regenerative injections covered by insurance?
Regenerative treatments are blood-based shots prepared at the clinic. Insurance often doesn't pay for this joint or tendon care. Ask for the full charge and which visits it includes. A low first price won't always cover later care.
Which symptoms need quick medical help?
Get prompt care if the joint feels hot, looks swollen, and you have a fever. If an injury leaves the joint stuck, get help. New weakness or numbness also needs quick attention. Don't wait for a routine joint visit.
Which choices can QC Kinetix discuss?
One QC Kinetix choice is a regenerative treatment, or a shot prepared there from your blood. PRP uses the platelet portion, while concentrated PRP uses more platelets. Medical providers won't offer care before examining your joint. They'll explain other non-surgical choices, the likely cost, and what comes next.
Sources
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FDA states verbatim of stem cell products, stromal vascular fraction (adipose-derived cells), umbilical cord blood, Wharton's jelly, amniotic fluid and exosome products: 'None of these products have been approved for the treatment of any orthopedic condition, such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc disease, tennis elbow, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, or shoulder pain.' The only FDA-approved stem cell products in the United States are blood-forming (hematopoietic progenitor) cells derived from umbilical cord blood, approved only for disorders of blood production, and there are currently NO FDA-approved exosome products.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Consumer Alert on Regenerative Medicine Products Including Stem Cells and Exosomes. FDA (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research), 2020.
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FDA's July 2020 final guidance 'Regulatory Considerations for Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products: Minimal Manipulation and Homologous Use' is the document that decides whether a given orthobiologic can be used without a licence: an HCT/P may be regulated solely under section 361 only if it is minimally manipulated AND intended for homologous use, among other criteria; otherwise it is a drug or biological product requiring an approved licence or an active investigational new drug application.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Regulatory Considerations for Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products: Minimal Manipulation and Homologous Use - Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff. FDA Guidance Document, 2020.
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In January 2025 federal district court orders resolving a joint FTC and Georgia Attorney General complaint permanently BANNED the co-founders of the Stem Cell Institute of America and several related companies from marketing stem cell therapy, and required payment of $5,155,146 in civil penalties and consumer refunds. In March 2024 the court had granted summary judgment on all counts, finding the defendants created and published false and misleading advertisements about the efficacy of stem cell injections. The affiliated clinic charged up to $5,000 per injection, almost exclusively to elderly and disabled consumers.
Federal Trade Commission — Stem Cell Institute Co-Founders and Companies Banned from Marketing Stem Cell Treatments and Ordered to Pay More Than $5.1 Million for Refunds and Civil Penalties. FTC Press Release, 2025.
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Medicare's national coverage determination states that CMS covers autologous platelet-rich plasma ONLY for patients with chronic non-healing diabetic, pressure and/or venous wounds, and only inside an approved coverage-with-evidence-development clinical study. Every approved study listed under the NCD is a wound-healing study. There is no Medicare national coverage for PRP in osteoarthritis or tendinopathy, which is why these injections are billed to the patient.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — Autologous Platelet-rich Plasma (Coverage with Evidence Development). CMS.gov, 2024.
An exam can give you a clear next step
Home care has limits. A medical provider checks your joint and explains the likely cause.
After that exam, QC Kinetix may offer non-surgical care. You'll hear the cost, time, and effort before deciding.
You can ask questions and leave without booking treatment. That's still a useful visit.
Book a free consultation