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Joint Treatment in Espoo Without Surgery

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

Consultation and review of your scansFree

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

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Free online consultation · Reply within 15 minutes

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What it is

What is regenerative
joint treatment?

The treatment is regenerative and uses only what your body supplies: PRP (platelet-rich plasma from the blood) and SVF (the stromal vascular fraction from a small piece of adipose tissue). Injected into the joint that hurts, it aims to calm inflammation, ease pain and support the tissue within.

  • 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

Your suitability for the treatment is decided by a doctor following an examination and a scan review

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

From a vein, a small amount of blood is taken. It is later used to prepare plasma rich in platelets and growth factors.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

About 30 ml of adipose tissue is collected through a puncture on the abdomen or the inner thigh under local anaesthetic. The puncture needs no stitches.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

Spinning the sample in a centrifuge separates it into layers, after which the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and added to the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

The finished material is injected into the affected joint itself, guided by ultrasound so that it lands precisely.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

Neither a hospital stay nor crutches are required. The doctor stays in contact after the procedure and monitors 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

The material comes only from your own blood and adipose tissue, never from donors or synthetics

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

A small sample of adipose tissue is taken and processed to obtain the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), a mix of cells that take part in tissue repair. Mixed with your own plasma, it is then injected into the affected joint.

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

It is typically chosen for more pronounced joint changes, with a longer-lasting result in mind.

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

Your blood, in a small amount, is used to separate plasma rich in platelets and growth factors. This plasma is injected into the joint to help calm inflammation and support tissue repair.

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

It can be used on its own as a course of injections, 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 or small, each joint is assessed on your scans first — then the doctor chooses the method and how many injections are needed

  • KneeKneeWorn cartilage and meniscus issues, with pain on stairs and after walking
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderRaising the arm hurts; wear of the joint and the tendons around it
  • ElbowElbowPain from overuse or sports strain, worn joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsStiff, painful small joints in the fingers and wrist
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Keeping your natural joint instead of replacing it is our goal — no surgery involved

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

The material comes only from your own blood and adipose tissue, never from donors or synthetics

No crutches

No crutches

Done through punctures instead of incisions, under local anaesthetic, without long rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

Forward your X-rays, MRI or reports to get a free, independent assessment from a doctor

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

We follow the result after the procedure and stay in contact, not only on the day of the injection

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

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Request a free call

Price

Joint treatment prices

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

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

Joint treatment in Espoo: methods, steps and price

We treat arthritis, arthrosis, osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, avascular necrosis, meniscus problems and inflammatory joint conditions, and help with rehabilitation after injuries and surgery. Patients from Espoo can have the elbow, hand and wrist, knee, hip, ankle or shoulder treated.

PRP can be given as a course of injections or together with SVF. The number of injections and the method are chosen individually for each patient from Espoo after the examination and scan review.

Leave a request, and a coordinator will contact you to arrange a free consultation and scan review. The price of joint treatment in Espoo is set individually and explained before any procedure.

Hills, shoreline and the daily load on knees and hips

Espoo is not a flat city. Its highest point, Velskola (Mustankorvenkallio), stands 114.2 m above sea level, and the municipality has about 58 km of shoreline on the Gulf of Finland with about 165 islands in front of it. Nuuksio National Park also lies within its borders. Terrain that varies this much means that walking, climbing and descending are part of ordinary movement, and the knee and hip carry much of that load.

For the knee, the typical complaints are pain on stairs or after walking, cartilage wear and meniscus trouble. For the hip, they are groin pain and limited rotation. If these sound familiar, the first step is simple: send your X-ray, MRI or ultrasound to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram. A doctor reviews them free of charge and says whether injections from your own blood and adipose tissue could be an option, or whether something else is needed.

Joint treatment here means regenerative injections, not an operation. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) comes from a small blood sample. The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is isolated from roughly 30 ml of adipose tissue taken under local anaesthetic. The ready material is placed into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance. The doctor settles the joint, the method and the number of injections only after seeing your scans.

The same logic applies to other joints. Shoulder pain on raising the arm, elbow aching after strain, stiffness in the small joints of the hand and wrist, and ankle problems after old sprains can all be assessed in the same online consultation.

Cold winters, damp summers and what joint symptoms can tell you

The climate in Espoo is humid continental. January has a mean daily maximum of -2.3 °C and a minimum of -6.5 °C, and February is close to that at -2.2 °C and -6.9 °C. Snow usually first falls after Christmas and melts from late March to early April. Summer is mild: July averages 21.5 °C by day and 14.0 °C at night. Annual precipitation is about 660 mm, with August the wettest month at 74.3 mm and April the driest at 33.6 mm.

Many people feel their joints more in cold, wet seasons, but the weather is not the cause of joint disease, and a change of season is not a diagnosis. What matters is the pattern of symptoms. Osteoarthritis is gradual wear of the cartilage: aching pain on movement, crunching and stiffness after rest. Arthritis is inflammation: pain at rest and at night, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint, and morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes.

This distinction decides the approach. Arthritis can be linked to autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, to infections, gout or psoriasis, so the diagnosis comes first. Keeping a short note of when the pain appears, whether it wakes you and how long the morning stiffness lasts gives the doctor something concrete to work with during the consultation.

Skin inflammation over the joint, a fever, a cold or flu are temporary reasons to postpone treatment. In a Finnish winter such infections are easy to catch, so tell the coordinator about any recent illness when you book. Acute infection in or near the joint, cancer, pregnancy and blood clotting disorders are reasons the procedure is not done at all.

A growing, ageing population and what it means for joint care

At the end of 2025 Espoo had 325,716 residents, making it the second largest municipality in Finland. It grew by 4,785 people (1.5%) in 2025, mostly through migration, and the population is estimated to reach 380,000 in 2033. People over 65 make up 15.3% of residents, those aged 20-64 are 61.1%, and about 24% are under 20.

That profile matters for joints. Wear-related conditions such as knee and hip osteoarthritis become more common with age, but the working-age majority is also exposed to high load from sport or physical work. Recovery after injuries and operations is another common reason to ask about regenerative methods. The service covers all of these: early or moderate arthrosis, meniscus injury, avascular necrosis and rehabilitation after injuries.

Espoo is also an international city: 84,225 residents, or 25.9%, have a foreign language as their mother tongue, and Aalto University in Otaniemi has about 16,000 students and 5,200 employees. If English is easier for you than Finnish when discussing a diagnosis, the online consultation and the coordinators' written messages are available in a language you are comfortable with, and scan reports can be sent as they are.

Body weight also affects how long the result lasts. According to THL's Terve Suomi 2023 survey, obesity affects about 30% of Finnish women and 27% of men. The service text names weight, activity and stage of the condition among the factors, and the doctor discusses this plainly, without judgement, because it shapes the plan for the joint.

How Kela and public care relate to private joint injections

Public health services in Finland are available to everyone resident in the country, and municipalities are responsible for organising them. Private care exists alongside, and the most demanding care is concentrated in five hospital districts. A regenerative consultation does not replace your own health-centre or specialist follow-up. It can give you a second opinion on scans you already have.

Kela reimburses private care only when it is necessary treatment of illness, pregnancy or childbirth in line with accepted good practice, and it uses the Kaypa hoito recommendations and the health-care service range when judging necessity. Reimbursements are fixed sums, not a share of what you pay. Kela also does not pay sickness-care reimbursement for aesthetic treatment.

We cannot promise that any particular injection will be reimbursed, because Kela makes that decision itself. Ask the coordinator which documents the doctor can provide after the consultation, and check the current rules on Kela's own website before you decide.

The first step carries no cost and no obligation: the consultation and review of your scans are free, and you are under no commitment to book anything. The cost of a specific method is stated by the doctor after the consultation, once the joint, the stage and the method are known.

Planning treatment around the Finnish calendar

Recovery is short, but it helps to plan. The whole procedure is done in one day, with no hospital stay and no crutches. For the first week the joint may ache a little more, which is an expected reaction. Around one month the pain usually eases, at about 3 months mobility and activity improve, and at about 6 months the full effect develops. These timings are averages, and no one can promise a fixed result.

Finnish public holidays shape when people take time off: 1 January, 6 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday, 1 May, Ascension, Pentecost, Midsummer Day (a Saturday between 20 and 26 June), All Saints' Day, 6 December and 25-26 December. Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve are generally not working days either. Since coordinators answer round the clock on WhatsApp and Telegram, you can still send scans and ask questions on those days.

Daylight also changes through the year, about 19 hours at midsummer and about 6 hours at midwinter, and sunshine is scarce from November to January. Many people stay less active in the dark months. The doctor gives load and exercise recommendations for the first weeks, so it is worth thinking about how you will keep moving gently, whether on indoor courts, in the pools or on the shore paths once the snow melts.

If you play sport, the city has venues such as the Tapiola and Leppavaara sports parks. Tell the doctor about your training so the recommendations fit your real load. After the procedure the doctor keeps in touch and follows how your joint responds, so you are not left alone after the injection day.

Which joint problems are most common to raise with the doctor from Espoo?

The service text lists the knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist, and ankle. For the knee, typical complaints are pain on stairs, cartilage wear and meniscus trouble. For the hip they are early osteoarthritis, groin pain and limited rotation. The doctor chooses the joint and method after seeing your scans.

Does the cold Finnish winter make joint treatment less suitable?

Cold weather itself is not a reason to avoid treatment. Temporary reasons to postpone are skin inflammation over the joint, a fever, a cold or flu. Acute infection in or near the joint is a reason not to do the procedure. Tell the coordinator about recent illness when booking.

Can I send scans I already had made in Finland?

Yes. X-rays, MRI, CT or ultrasound and medical reports can be sent through WhatsApp or Telegram. A doctor reviews them free of charge and tells you whether the procedure could suit you and what else may be needed.

Will Kela reimburse PRP or SVF injections?

Kela decides this itself. It reimburses private care only when it is necessary treatment of illness in line with accepted good practice, and it does not pay for aesthetic treatment. Reimbursements are fixed sums. Check the current rules with Kela and ask the coordinator which documents the doctor can provide.

Does this replace my public health-care follow-up?

No. Public health services remain available to residents of Finland, and private care exists alongside them. The online consultation can offer a second opinion on your scans and a possible plan without surgery, and you can share it with your own doctor.

How should I describe my symptoms to tell arthritis from osteoarthritis?

Note whether pain comes on movement and eases with rest, which points to wear of the cartilage, or whether it appears at rest and at night with swelling, redness and warmth. Also note if morning stiffness lasts more than 30 minutes. The doctor makes the diagnosis, since the approach differs.

Does body weight matter for the result?

Yes. The duration of the effect depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors. The doctor discusses this at the consultation and builds recommendations around your situation.

What if I want to schedule treatment close to a Finnish holiday?

Tell the coordinator the dates that matter to you, such as Midsummer, Christmas or Easter. Coordinators answer round the clock, so scans and questions can be handled on holidays, and the doctor gives load recommendations for the first weeks afterwards.