As the population rapidly ages, awareness of degenerative conditions such as knee osteoarthritis is increasing. Among these, the knee joint—bearing a significant portion of the body’s weight—is especially vulnerable to age-related damage
Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease caused by repeated joint use, trauma, aging, and other factors, leading to inflammation in the joint. It is classified into stages 1 through 4 based on cartilage damage and the degree of inflammation. Since the condition worsens over time and eventually interferes with daily life, it is advisable to begin appropriate treatment in the early stages.
Treatment of knee osteoarthritis can be approached in stages. In stage 1, where intermittent pain and minor discomfort are present, non-surgical treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and joint injections are primarily used as conservative care.
In mid-stage osteoarthritis (stages 2–3), more active treatment is necessary to slow joint degeneration, reduce pain, and restore joint function. This stage is particularly critical to prevent the condition from advancing to the point where surgical intervention becomes necessary. Fortunately, whereas in the past, the options were limited to conservative versus surgical treatment, recent advancements such as Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC, 무릎줄기세포주사) injection therapy have expanded the range of treatment choices.
BMAC (무릎줄기세포주사) therapy is known to help reduce inflammation and pain while improving joint function. It involves harvesting a patient’s own bone marrow, concentrating it through centrifugation, and injecting it into the knee joint.
The procedure typically takes about 30–40 minutes, and because there is no need for a prolonged recovery period, patients can expect to return to their daily routines quickly. Notably, many can expect significant pain relief—more than 50% reduction—within 3 to 7 days after the procedure.
However, hospitalization may be necessary for the BMAC (무릎줄기세포주사) injection process. This is to manage potential pain, bleeding, or infection that may occur during the bone marrow extraction under local anesthesia. Therefore, patients may need to stay for at least 24 hours for close monitoring, ensuring proper recovery and evaluating joint function stability before discharge.
Dr Yeon-seok Lee
Dr. Young-Seok Lee, Director of St. Luke Hospital in Eunpyeong, emphasized, “If knee pain interferes with your daily life, it may indicate that the condition has already progressed significantly, so it’s important to seek a specialist’s diagnosis as early as possible.” He added, “Consistently performing exercises to strengthen the knee even after treatment plays a key role in preventing recurrence and supporting joint function recovery.”
