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Joint Treatment in Eldoret: Methods and Steps

Cell therapy (SVF) and PRP for the knee, hip, shoulder and other joints. A free review of your scans before any decision

Knee joint: regenerative treatment without surgery
Joint treatment without surgery. Free consultation and review of your scans

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What it is

What is regenerative
joint treatment?

Everything used in regenerative joint treatment comes from you: platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is made from your blood, and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) from a little adipose tissue. The doctor injects it into the painful joint to lessen inflammation and pain and to support the joint's inner tissues.

  • No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
  • Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
  • Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Knee joint: an injection under ultrasound guidance

Who the treatment suits

The decision on whether the treatment suits you is made by a doctor, after an examination and a look at your scans

Suitable

A doctor reviews knee X-rays with a patient
  • Pain, crunching or stiffness in a joint
  • Painkillers only help for a short time
  • Recovery after injuries and surgery
  • You need a second opinion on your scans
  • You want to avoid or postpone joint replacement
  • Early or moderate arthrosis or arthritis
  • High load on the joints — sport or physical work

Not suitable

A doctor examines a patient's knee
  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy
  • Blood clotting disorders
  • Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
  • Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
  • Temporary contraindications: fever, a cold or the flu, inflammation of the skin over the joint to be treated

Not sure the treatment is right for you?

Leave your number — the coordinator will ask for your scans (X-ray, MRI or ultrasound), and the doctor will tell you whether treatment without surgery suits you.

Find out if it suits me

What we treat

Conditions we treat

How it works

How the procedure goes: step by step

Consultation and scan review1

Consultation and scan review

The doctor checks your joint, reviews the X-ray, MRI or ultrasound and makes the decision on whether the procedure is suitable for you. If scans already exist, you can send them before the visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

We take a small blood sample from a vein. From it, platelet-rich plasma containing growth factors is prepared later on.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

A puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, made under local anaesthetic, is used to take a small portion of adipose tissue, about 30 ml. No stitches follow.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

The sample is centrifuged and divides into layers; the stromal vascular fraction is isolated from it and mixed with platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

Ultrasound guidance allows the prepared material to be injected precisely, directly into the affected joint.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

No stay in hospital and no crutches are needed. The doctor stays in touch after the procedure to see how the joint responds.

Book a consultation

Call or message us — our coordinator will contact you shortly and book your consultation

A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment
Book a consultation
A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment

Results

After the procedure

  • Doctor talking warmly with a patient after the procedure

    1 week

    The joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction.

  • Doctor consulting an older patient one month after treatment

    1 month

    The pain usually eases.

  • Doctor explaining progress to a patient using a knee joint model

    ~3 months

    Mobility and activity improve.

  • Doctor and patient walking together at a follow-up visit

    ~6 months

    The full effect develops.

How long it lasts differs from person to person and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors — no one can promise a fixed result.

Comparison

Methods we use

Only material from your own blood and adipose tissue is used, with no donor or synthetic components

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

From a small sample of your adipose tissue, the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is isolated — cells that are involved in tissue repair. This fraction, combined with your plasma, is injected into the affected joint.

A doctor explains SVF cell therapy for the knee to a patient on a tablet

More marked changes in the joint and the wish for a longer-lasting effect are the usual reasons to choose it.

Material
Your adipose tissue and plasma
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood

A little of your blood is enough to separate platelet-rich plasma full of growth factors. Injected into the joint, it calms inflammation and improves conditions for tissue repair.

A doctor explains PRP therapy for joints to a patient on a monitor

Used by itself as an injection course, or together with SVF.

Material
Your blood from a vein
How it is given
Into the joint, under ultrasound
Duration
The whole procedure is done in one day.

The benefits and timings shown are averaged and given for guidance: the plan and recovery depend on your joint and individual features, and the doctor confirms them at the consultation.

At the consultation the doctor will review your scans and suggest a treatment plan

Free consultation

Book a consultation

Joints

Joints we treat

Large and small joints — the doctor chooses the joint, the method and the number of injections after reviewing your scans

  • KneeKneeMeniscus trouble, worn cartilage, pain when using stairs or after walking
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderWorn joint and surrounding tendons, pain when lifting the arm
  • ElbowElbowJoint surface wear and pain after overload or sports strain
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsStiffness and aching in the finger and wrist joints
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Treatment without surgery: we work to save your own joint rather than replace it

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

Only material from your own blood and adipose tissue is used, with no donor or synthetic components

No crutches

No crutches

Local anaesthetic, punctures instead of incisions, and no long rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

Share your X-rays, MRI or reports, and a doctor will give an independent opinion free of charge

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

We keep following the result and stay in touch after the procedure, not only on injection day

About the clinic

A clinic where you can feel at ease

Modern equipment, comfortable rooms and care for every patient

A doctor and a patient at the clinic

Contact us the way that suits you

We will answer your questions and find a convenient time for a consultation

Request a free call

Price

Joint treatment prices

The doctor names the cost after the consultation, as it depends on the joint, the method and the stage of the condition

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

What Eldoret residents ask about joint treatment

Regenerative joint treatment uses material from your own body: platelet-rich plasma from blood and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) from a small sample of adipose tissue. For patients from Eldoret, it is an option to ease pain and inflammation and support the tissues inside the joint without an operation.

The procedure in Eldoret takes one day. Blood is taken from a vein for PRP, a small portion of adipose tissue is taken under local anaesthetic without stitches, the material is spun in a centrifuge, and the prepared mix is injected precisely into the affected joint.

Patients from Eldoret can start with a free second opinion: send your X-rays, MRI, CT or reports, and a doctor will tell you whether SVF or PRP could help. The price of treatment is named at the consultation.

Eldoret and its joints: why this question comes up here

Eldoret is a city in the Rift Valley region of Kenya and the capital of Uasin Gishu County. At the 2019 census it had 475,716 people, which made it the fifth most populated urban area in the country after Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Ruiru. In August 2024 this long-standing municipality was granted city status. A city of this size has many people whose work, sport or family duties put daily load on the knees and hips, and many of them eventually ask when conservative care is enough and when a procedure should be discussed.

The city has a strong sporting culture. It is known as the home and training ground of many Kenyan distance runners, and it hosts a marathon, rugby tournaments and cycling events. Around it are grain, dairy and horticultural farms, plus a sizeable manufacturing sector. That mix means knee and hip complaints come from very different backgrounds: years of running on hard surfaces, long days on the feet in a factory or market, repeated lifting on a farm, or an old injury that has slowly worn the joint.

City Medical Centre works with Eldoret residents through a free online consultation. Coordinators answer on Telegram and Telegram around the clock (24/7), so you can send your questions, scans and notes from home and receive a structured explanation of the options: conservative care, arthroscopy or joint replacement.

Conservative care first: what it can and cannot do

Most joint problems are first managed without an operation. Conservative care usually means an accurate diagnosis, activity adjustment, physiotherapy to strengthen the muscles around the knee or hip, sensible weight management, supportive footwear, and medication chosen by a physician. For many people in Eldoret this stage is a matter of changing routines rather than stopping work: how long you stand, how you carry loads, how you warm up before training on the city's hilly roads.

Weight is one of the factors that is discussed openly. The World Health Organization treats overweight and obesity as a major health issue, and extra body weight adds load to the knees and hips. A realistic plan that fits local food habits, such as maize-based meals, dairy and vegetables from the surrounding farms, is more useful than a strict diet that nobody can keep up. The surgeon or physician in your online consultation can help you set sensible expectations.

Conservative care has limits. If pain remains at rest or at night despite a proper course of treatment, if walking distance keeps shrinking, or if the joint locks or gives way, it is reasonable to ask for a second opinion on whether a procedure is the next step. Sending your imaging and a short description of your daily activity to the coordinators is the easiest way to begin that conversation.

Is it arthritis? Signs that deserve attention

Not every aching knee is wear and tear. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. Causes include autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis. Because the causes differ, the treatment differs too, and it matters to find out which type you have before any surgical decision.

In Eldoret's cool season, from May to August, when night temperatures are regularly in the single digits Celsius, many people notice that stiffness is worse in the morning. This is a useful observation to record, but it does not replace a diagnosis. Keep a short diary for a couple of weeks: when the pain starts, how long the morning stiffness lasts, whether the joint swells, and whether it wakes you at night. Share it with the doctor during the remote consultation.

If a joint becomes suddenly hot, red and very painful, or if you have a fever with it, do not wait for a scheduled online consultation. Seek urgent in-person medical care in your city first, and then discuss further planning with us. Online guidance is for planning and second opinions, not for emergencies.

Arthroscopy, early-stage options and joint replacement

Joint treatment covers a ladder of options. Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive look inside the joint, used in selected cases such as certain meniscus or cartilage problems, and it is not a cure for every painful knee. Joint replacement is considered when the damage is advanced and daily life is limited despite proper conservative treatment. Which step fits you depends on the diagnosis, the stage, your age, your activity and your general health.

For the hip there is also an early-stage question. At early stages (1–2), SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required. In this approach, under local anaesthetic, a small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml) is taken through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. No stitches are needed. The stage of the disease is the deciding point, which is why imaging and a careful review come before any promises about the method.

A young runner from the Eldoret training groups with an early problem and a retired farmer with advanced wear are in very different positions. During the online consultation the surgeon looks at your scans, explains which of these options is realistic for you, and says plainly when an option is not suitable.

Climate, altitude and recovery after joint treatment

Eldoret lies above 2,000 metres, with a subtropical highland climate: moderate to cool, with nights that cool down significantly. The warm season is the driest and the cool season is the wettest. For recovery this is mostly favourable, because you are not dealing with extreme heat, but each season has its own habits to plan around.

In the dry warm months, dust on rural roads and strong sun are the main points. Keep any wound dressing clean and dry, protect the skin around the joint from direct sun, and wear loose clothing so that swelling is not squeezed. If your surgeon prescribes a compression garment, follow the instructions on how long to wear it and do not change them on your own. In the wet cool months, muddy and slippery ground becomes the main concern for anyone using crutches or a walking aid, so plan safe footwear and a dry path from the door to the road.

Swelling is normal after joint procedures and tends to rise when you stand for long periods. Elevating the leg, short regular walks as allowed, and avoiding long sitting with the knee bent help comfort. Cool evenings can make a healing joint feel stiff, so warm layers help. Swimming pools and bathing should only be resumed when your surgeon confirms the wound is ready. Ask for that advice in writing.

Choosing the season and planning around city life

There is no single best month in Eldoret, but you can match the timing to your own calendar. Many families plan around the farming year, school terms and the busy months of trade and harvest. If you run a farm or a stall, choose a period when someone trusted can cover the physical work for the recovery weeks. If you are a student at one of the city's many university campuses, a break between semesters lets you rest without losing classes.

Sporting events shape the calendar too. The Eldoret leg of the national rugby sevens circuit takes place in June, and the city hosts a marathon and other races. Watching is fine, but crowds, standing on stands and uneven steps are not ideal in the first period after joint surgery. If you play or coach, plan your return to sport together with the surgeon and the physiotherapist instead of the fixture list.

Family events and food culture matter as well. Long gatherings with much standing, carrying of pots and low seating are tiring for a healing knee or hip. Tell relatives in advance that you will need a high, firm chair and help with carrying. Eating enough protein and vegetables supports healing, and shared meals can include dishes that suit your doctor's advice on weight and general health.

Work, study and sport: returning step by step

Return to work depends on the type of procedure and on what your job requires. An office or administrative role in the city's banks or services is easier to resume than work that involves climbing, lifting or long hours on your feet, as in a factory, a farm or a market. The surgeon will describe a realistic return plan for your specific procedure. Ask for it in clear steps: when to walk without aids, when to drive, when to lift, when to climb stairs.

Students who attend lectures across the city's campuses should ask about carrying books, walking between buildings and sitting through long classes. Short breaks to straighten the leg are often advised. For athletes in a city where running is part of the identity, the key is patience. Rebuilding strength with a physiotherapist, starting with low-impact activity and increasing load gradually, protects the result better than a quick return to training at altitude.

Whatever your occupation, do not skip follow-up checks and exercises because you feel well. Feeling better is not the same as being ready for full load. Use the coordinators in Telegram or Telegram to report how recovery is going, send photos of the wound if asked and clarify doubts early.

How the remote consultation works from Eldoret

The first consultation is free and online. You write to the coordinators on Telegram or Telegram, and they are available around the clock (24/7). You describe the problem in your own words: which joint, how long, what makes it worse, what treatment you have already tried. Then you send what you have, such as X-ray or MRI images, reports and a list of medicines.

A surgeon reviews the material and gives an opinion on the likely diagnosis, the stage, and which options make sense: continued conservative care, arthroscopy, an early-stage method or joint replacement. You can ask for a plain explanation of what each option involves, what the recovery looks like and what it requires from you at home. Nothing is decided during the first contact; you receive information and can think it over with your family.

The consultation does not replace an examination in person. For urgent symptoms or a sudden change you should see a doctor in your city. The online conversation helps you prepare, compare opinions and plan the sequence of steps in a calm way.

Questions to ask the surgeon and who is a suitable candidate

Good questions make the consultation productive. Ask what exactly is wrong with the joint and at what stage it is. Ask what happens if you wait, and what conservative treatment can still offer. Ask what the procedure involves, which anaesthesia is planned, how long the stay and the recovery are, what you will be able to do and when, and what could go wrong. Ask how the result will be checked and what follow-up is expected.

Candidates in general terms are people whose joint problem is confirmed by imaging and examination, who have tried reasonable conservative care, and whose daily life is limited. Contraindications can include active infection, unstable general health, poorly controlled chronic conditions or inflammation that has not been properly diagnosed. Only a physician who has seen your documents can judge this, and honest advice may sometimes be to wait or to continue non-surgical treatment.

Be open about your medicines, past operations, allergies and habits. If you have gout, psoriasis or an autoimmune condition, say so at once, because it changes the plan. The more complete your information, the more useful the answer you receive in Eldoret from your phone.

Can I consult about my knee or hip from Eldoret without paying?

Yes. The first online consultation is free. Write to the coordinators on Telegram or Telegram from Eldoret, describe the problem and send your scans and reports. Coordinators are available around the clock (24/7).

Do I need an operation if my knee hurts?

Not necessarily. Many knee and hip problems are first treated with conservative care: physiotherapy, activity changes, weight management and medication. Surgery is discussed when the damage is advanced and daily life is limited despite proper treatment.

How can I tell arthritis from ordinary wear?

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. Causes include autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis. A doctor must confirm the diagnosis.

What is SVF therapy and who may be offered it?

At early stages (1–2), SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required. Whether it suits you depends on imaging and the surgeon's assessment.

What does the tissue collection involve?

Under local anaesthetic, a small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml) is taken through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. No stitches are needed.

Does the cool, wet season in Eldoret affect recovery?

It can make a healing joint feel stiffer, and wet, slippery ground is a risk for anyone using crutches. Wear warm layers, choose safe footwear and keep a dry path outside the door. In the dry season, protect the wound from dust and sun.

When can I return to running or sport?

This depends on the procedure and on how your recovery goes. Runners and rugby players in Eldoret should plan the return with the surgeon and a physiotherapist, starting with low-impact activity and increasing the load gradually.

Can I go back to farm or factory work?

Often yes, but not at once. Jobs with lifting, climbing or long standing need a longer, stepwise return. Ask the surgeon for a written plan that matches your tasks, and arrange help with heavy work for the first weeks.

Does body weight matter for joint treatment?

Yes. Extra weight adds load to the knees and hips, and the World Health Organization regards overweight and obesity as an important health issue. Realistic changes in eating and activity can ease symptoms and support recovery.

What should I send for the online consultation?

Send existing X-ray or MRI images, medical reports, a list of medicines, notes on past operations and allergies, and a short diary of symptoms. The more complete the information, the more precise the surgeon's opinion can be.