Stem cell therapy in Boulder is not one product sold under one name. One version is physician-selected MFAT or BMA, your own cells, harvested from you the same day and placed under live ultrasound. The other is a vial product, an amniotic, umbilical, placental, or exosome preparation with no cells of yours inside it. Five questions separate the two: where the cells come from, who performs the harvest and injection, whether ultrasound guides placement, what the cells are paired with, and whether the clinic will tell you if you are not a candidate. Ask them of any provider, including us.
A physician-written second opinion: the checklist that tells you whether you are being offered your own biology or a manufactured product with a similar name.
Five questions that decide what you receive
Each is a plain question you can ask on the phone. The clinic that treats stem cell therapy as a medical protocol can answer all five, including us.
Where do the cells come from?
Dynamic Stem Cell+ uses physician-selected MFAT or BMA: your own cells, harvested from you the same day, chosen for the joint and the case. A vial product is different: an amniotic, umbilical, placental, or exosome preparation manufactured off-site, with no living cells of yours inside it. The FDA’s July 2020 consumer alert names this vial category among products sold without FDA approval. Ask directly: are you harvesting anything from me today, or am I receiving a vial?
Who performs the harvest and the injection?
The harvest and the injection are both procedures, and the question is who holds the needle for each. At Dynamic Athlete, Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ, performs every harvest and injection personally, the same physician who examined you and reviewed your imaging. He is Yale-New Haven Hospital trained and an Andrews Sports Medicine fellow. Ask directly: will a physician perform both steps, or is either delegated?
Is the injection placed under live ultrasound?
A 2009 randomized trial in The Journal of Rheumatology found ultrasound-guided joint injections were more accurate than landmark-guided injections, with fewer non-responders. A 2018 review in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine reported the same direction across multiple joints. Cells placed under live ultrasound go into the exact structure; a landmark injection relies on feel. Ask who holds the probe for your injection.
What are the cells paired with, and at what platelet dose?
Dynamic Stem Cell+ is never delivered alone. It is always paired with High-Dose PRP and Fibrin-Rich Plasma, concentrated 12 to 20 times baseline, over 10 billion platelets, prepared from your own blood the same day. A 2020 study in Stem Cells International followed 110 knees treated with a single ultrasound-guided MFAT injection and reported significant improvement at twelve months. Ask one plain question: how many platelets are in my syringe?
Will you tell me if I am not a candidate?
Stem cell therapy responds best with living tissue and joint space: mild to moderate arthritis, focal cartilage wear, tendinopathy that has not fully torn through. In a joint that is truly end-stage, bone on bone with no space left, a responsible physician says so rather than proceeding. At Dynamic Athlete, candidacy follows a physician evaluation and imaging review; if surgery is right, we say so and refer you to a surgeon we trust.
Print this. Ask it of any provider, including us.
| Question | Protocol-grade answer |
|---|---|
| Where do the cells come from? | “MFAT or BMA, harvested from you today, chosen for this joint.” |
| Who performs the harvest and injection? | “The physician who examined you, every time.” |
| Is it placed under live ultrasound? | “Yes, in real time, on screen.” |
| What is it paired with, at what dose? | “High-Dose PRP and FRP: over 10 billion platelets.” |
| Not a candidate? Will you say so? | “Yes. If end-stage, surgery is the right call.” |
Frequently asked questions
Is stem cell therapy in Boulder always the same treatment?
No. Two clinics can each call an injection stem cell therapy and mean different things. Physician-selected MFAT (microfragmented adipose tissue) or BMA (bone marrow aspirate) is harvested from your own body the same day, processed on site, and placed under live ultrasound. A vial product, an amniotic, umbilical, placental, or exosome preparation, is manufactured off-site and contains no living cells of yours at all. The FDA’s July 2020 consumer alert on regenerative medicine products names these vial categories among those sold without FDA approval and without demonstrated clinical benefit for orthopedic use. When you ask a Boulder or Denver clinic about stem cell therapy, you are not asking about one defined product. You are asking where the cells came from, who harvested them, how they were placed, and what they were paired with.
What is the difference between MFAT and BMA?
MFAT (microfragmented adipose tissue) and BMA (bone marrow aspirate) are both harvested from your own body the same day, and both are physician-selected based on your joint and your case rather than applied from a fixed protocol. MFAT is harvested from fat tissue, typically the abdomen or flank, and mechanically processed to preserve the native cellular structure. BMA is aspirated from bone marrow, typically the iliac crest, and concentrated by centrifuge. Neither source is the better choice for every joint and every patient; the decision depends on the target tissue, the degree of degeneration, and the harvest site’s suitability for that individual. At Dynamic Athlete, Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ, selects between MFAT and BMA case by case, and always pairs the harvest with High-Dose PRP and FRP.
What is a vial stem cell product, and how is it different from my own cells?
A vial stem cell product is manufactured off-site, not harvested from you, and typically consists of amniotic fluid, umbilical cord tissue, placental tissue, or an exosome preparation. It is shipped to a clinic and injected directly, with no harvest procedure involved. The FDA’s July 2020 consumer alert on regenerative medicine products states plainly that the only stem cell products currently approved by the FDA are blood-forming stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood, used for blood-disorder indications, not for joint or orthopedic use, and it documents serious adverse events, including infection and vision loss, tied to unapproved products in this category. Before accepting a vial product for a joint, ask what regulatory pathway it is marketed under, and whether any of your own cells are in the syringe at all.
Does stem cell therapy need to be done under ultrasound?
For joint and peri-articular targets, live ultrasound guidance improves placement accuracy compared with landmark-based, blind injection. A 2009 randomized trial in The Journal of Rheumatology found ultrasound-guided joint injections were more accurate than palpation-guided injections, with roughly half as many non-responders. A 2018 review in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine reported the same direction of benefit across shoulder, hip, and knee targets. The cells in Dynamic Stem Cell+ do nothing for a joint if they are deposited beside it rather than inside it. Ultrasound lets the physician watch the needle tip reach the target in real time and confirm the injectate is going where intended. Ask whether your stem cell injection will be guided by live ultrasound, and who is holding the probe.
Who should perform a stem cell harvest and injection?
The physician who evaluates you and reviews your imaging should be the one performing your harvest and your injection. At many clinics, the evaluation, the harvest, and the injection are handled by different staff members, so the hands doing the procedure never examined the joint. At Dynamic Athlete, Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ, personally performs every Dynamic Stem Cell+ harvest and injection: the diagnostic evaluation, the MFAT or BMA harvest, and the ultrasound-guided injection are all done by the same physician. He is a double board-certified sports and regenerative medicine physician, Yale-New Haven Hospital trained, an Andrews Sports Medicine fellow, and a 2026 speaker at IOF MAX. Ask a direct question before booking: will the same physician perform my harvest and my injection, or is either step delegated?
What is Dynamic Stem Cell+ paired with, and why does it matter?
Dynamic Stem Cell+ is never delivered as a stand-alone injection. It is always paired with High-Dose PRP and Fibrin-Rich Plasma (FRP), concentrated 12 to 20 times baseline, over 10 billion platelets, prepared from your own blood on the day of the procedure. Platelets carry growth factors that support the healing environment around the harvested cells; a stem cell injection without a measured platelet dose is missing half of the intended biology. A 2020 study in Stem Cells International followed 110 knees treated with a single ultrasound-guided MFAT injection and reported statistically significant improvement in pain, function, and quality of life at twelve months. Ask any provider a specific question: what is my stem cell injection paired with, and at what platelet concentration?
How do I know if I am actually a candidate for stem cell therapy?
Candidacy is decided by a physician evaluation and a review of your imaging, not by whether you can pay. Stem cell therapy responds best when there is living tissue and measurable joint space: mild to moderate arthritis, focal cartilage damage, and tendinopathy that has not torn completely through. A 2017 placebo-controlled trial in The American Journal of Sports Medicine studied bone marrow aspirate concentrate for knee osteoarthritis and is a useful reminder that regenerative injections are not universally the right tool. In a joint that is truly end-stage, bone on bone with no cartilage space remaining, a responsible physician says so rather than proceeding. At Dynamic Athlete, if your joint is truly end-stage, we will tell you surgery is the right call and refer you to a surgeon we trust.
Where can I get physician-performed stem cell therapy in Boulder?
Dynamic Athlete Sports Medicine and Regenerative Orthopaedics in Boulder provides Dynamic Stem Cell+, physician-selected MFAT or BMA paired with High-Dose PRP and FRP, placed under live ultrasound. Aneesh Garg, DO, CAQ, “The Regen Doc,” personally performs the evaluation, the harvest, and the injection for every patient. He is a double board-certified sports and regenerative medicine physician, Yale-New Haven Hospital trained, an Andrews Sports Medicine fellow, and a 2026 speaker at IOF MAX, the country’s largest orthobiologics conference. The clinic serves Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Broomfield, Longmont, and the surrounding Front Range. With Dynamic Stem Cell+, over 90% of our patients self-report a 75% or greater improvement, all without surgery.
Ask us every question on this page
Physician-selected MFAT or BMA, harvested same-day and paired with High-Dose PRP and FRP under live ultrasound, with an honest answer if it is not the right tool for you.