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SVF and PRP Joint Therapy in Wuppertal

For the knee, hip, shoulder and other joints: PRP and cell therapy (SVF). Your scans are reviewed free before you commit

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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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What it is

What is regenerative
joint treatment?

Material from your own body is at the heart of regenerative joint treatment — PRP, a platelet-rich plasma derived from blood, and SVF, the stromal vascular fraction derived from a small sample of adipose tissue. Placed into the affected joint by injection, it reduces pain and inflammation and supports the joint's 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

A doctor decides whether the treatment suits you after examining you and reviewing 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 flu, skin inflammation 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

First comes an examination: the doctor checks the joint and your X-ray, MRI or ultrasound images and decides whether the procedure fits. If you have scans already, send them in advance.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

All it takes is a little venous blood; later on it becomes platelet-rich plasma containing growth factors.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

Around 30 ml of adipose tissue is taken through a single puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh under local anaesthetic, and the site needs no stitches.

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

The prepared material is injected straight into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance, which helps to place it precisely.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

Afterwards there are no crutches and no hospital stay, and the doctor keeps in touch to follow how the joint is responding.

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

No donor or synthetic material: only your own blood and adipose tissue are used

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — a combination of cells involved in tissue repair — is isolated by processing a small sample of your adipose tissue. It is combined with your plasma and injected into the joint that needs treatment.

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

Plasma containing many platelets and growth factors is prepared from a small amount of your blood and injected into the joint, helping inflammation settle and creating better conditions for repair.

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

It is suitable as a separate injection course or in combination 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

From large joints to small ones: the doctor picks the joint, the technique and the injection count after studying your scans

  • KneeKneeWorn cartilage and meniscus issues, with pain on stairs and after walking
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderArm-raising pain, with wear of the joint and the tendons around it
  • ElbowElbowPain following overuse or sports strain, wear of joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsPainful, stiff small joints of the fingers and the wrist
  • 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

No donor or synthetic material: only your own blood and adipose tissue are used

No crutches

No crutches

Small punctures in place of incisions, local anaesthetic, no long recovery programme

Second opinion

Second opinion

A doctor will independently assess your X-rays, MRI or reports free of charge once you send them

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

Our care goes beyond the day of the injection: we stay in touch and follow the result

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

Pricing depends on the joint, the condition's stage and the method; you learn it from the doctor after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

Choosing joint treatment without surgery in Wuppertal

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 Wuppertal, it is an option to ease pain and inflammation and support the tissues inside the joint without an operation.

Follow-up visits help the doctor see how the joint responds and adjust the plan. In Wuppertal, you receive recommendations on load and exercise for the first weeks, and the doctor stays in touch after the procedure.

The cost of joint treatment depends on the joint, the stage of the condition and the method, so the price is set at the consultation. The initial consultation and review of your scans are free for patients from Wuppertal. Leave your name and phone number, and a coordinator will contact you.

A valley city of slopes: what the terrain asks of knees and hips

Wuppertal lies in the Wupper valley in the Bergisches Land. The river winds for about 20 km through the city area, and the south-east belongs to the Bergische Hochflächen, which rise to about 350 m. The lowest point of the city, at Müngsten, is 101 m above sea level, and the highest, Lichtscheid, reaches 350 m. A difference of almost 250 m inside one city is a good reminder that terrain affects how a joint is loaded.

Even the best-known local landmark follows the valley: the Schwebebahn suspension railway, in operation since 1901, runs 8 m above the streets and 12 m above the Wupper. Whatever your route through town looks like, the question for a doctor is simple: which movements hurt? The treatment information we work from describes knee pain when climbing stairs or after walking, groin pain and limited rotation in the hip, and aching in the shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist and ankle after strain or old injuries.

A short note for yourself helps before the online consultation. Write down which slopes, steps or movements bring the pain on, whether it eases with rest, and whether painkillers help only for a short time. These details, together with your X-ray, MRI or ultrasound, let the doctor judge the stage of the condition. The stage matters because the chance of a lasting effect from PRP or SVF injections is higher when changes are earlier.

The consultation itself is held online and is free, and the review of your scans is free too. You send existing images to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram, and the doctor then tells you whether treatment without surgery suits you or whether another route is more realistic.

Wet, dark winters and how to plan the timeline of an injection

Wuppertal's climate data for 2015–2020 show an annual mean temperature of 10.8 °C, with 3.1 °C in January and 18.7 °C in July. Precipitation totals 1,025 mm a year in that table, with January (125 mm), December (113 mm) and November (105 mm) the wettest months. Sunshine averages only 1.5 h a day in December and 1.9 h in January, against 6.6 h in June. Longer-term figures in the same source reach 1,116 mm in the valley and 1,183 mm on the heights.

We make no claim that weather causes joint disease. What is worth doing is separating symptoms. Stiffness after rest and aching on movement point to osteoarthritis, which is wear of cartilage. Pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint point to inflammation, that is arthritis. The approach to treatment differs, so the diagnosis comes first, and a diary kept through the wet months can make the picture clearer for the doctor.

The recovery timeline is worth laying against the calendar. After the procedure the joint may ache a little more for about 1 week, which is an expected reaction. Pain usually eases by about 1 month, mobility and activity improve by about 3 months, and the full effect develops at about 6 months. As an illustration only, an injection in late November 2026 would put the 1-month point in late December, the 3-month point around February 2027 and the 6-month point around May 2027, when the data show the driest months, April (50 mm) and May (53 mm). Individual results differ and nobody can promise a fixed outcome.

One practical point for the damp season: a fever, a cold or flu is a temporary reason to postpone the procedure, as is skin inflammation over the joint to be treated. If you catch a cold before the planned date, tell the coordinator, and the date can be moved.

Cycling, study and a big event ahead: joints under regular load

Wuppertal has the Nordbahntrasse, a 22 km cycle route across the city. For someone with a sore knee or hip, a long route of this kind raises a practical question about how much load is sensible while the joint is being treated. The doctor gives load and exercise recommendations for the first weeks after the procedure, based on your joint and your scans.

The city also has a young side: the Bergische Universität Wuppertal has about 21,000 students (winter semester 2024/25), and four institutions of higher education are in the city. Students and staff who play sport can pick up injuries, and recovery after injuries and operations is among the situations the treatment is used for. High load from sport or physical work is listed among the reasons people come for a consultation.

Wuppertal will also host the Federal Horticultural Show (Bundesgartenschau) in 2031. It is a long way off, but for anyone planning to stay active for the coming years, the aim of regenerative treatment fits: to keep your own joint working and, where the stage allows, to postpone or avoid replacement.

The procedure leaves little disruption to a daily routine. It needs no hospital stay and no crutches, and normally you return to normal life within a day or two. The adipose tissue sample, roughly 30 ml, is taken through a small puncture in the abdomen or inner thigh under local anaesthetic, without stitches, and the injection into the joint is made under ultrasound guidance.

Osteoarthritis in Germany: the numbers behind the decision

National figures put the question in context. About five million people in Germany have osteoarthritis (Arthrose), and around 400,000 hip and knee joint replacement operations were performed in 2016. Wuppertal itself has 357,243 residents (31 December 2025) within an urban area of about 608,000, so the condition is hardly a rarity in a city of this size.

Replacement has its place. For a joint that is already badly damaged it may be the more realistic option, and the doctor will say so honestly after seeing your scans. But it is major surgery: after an uncomplicated hip replacement the inpatient stay lasts about six to eight days in most clinics, and rehabilitation is arranged during the stay. There are also risks such as infection, and implants may eventually need to be redone.

That is why many people with early or moderate changes ask first whether their own joint can be supported. PRP comes from a small sample of your own blood, and SVF from a small sample of your own adipose tissue, so no donor or synthetic material is used. SVF is usually chosen when the changes are more marked and a longer-lasting effect is the aim, while PRP can be used alone or combined with SVF.

Not everyone is suitable. The procedure is not done in cancer, pregnancy, blood clotting disorders, acute infections (including infection in or near the joint) or a flare-up of a serious chronic illness. For avascular necrosis of the hip, SVF may be considered at early stages (1–2), while at later stages surgery is usually required.

Insurance, waiting and preparing your scans from home

About 92% of the German population is covered by statutory health insurance, and as of 2024 about 88% of the working population is insured through statutory funds and about 11% privately. Whether an insurer contributes to a particular injection treatment depends on the individual fund or tariff, and we cannot promise it. The fee is stated by the doctor after the consultation, so ask your insurer in writing before you decide, and keep the reply with your documents.

On waiting times, a 2010 Commonwealth Fund survey found that 70% of Germans reported waiting less than 1 month for elective surgery. That is an old figure and it says nothing about your situation, but it shows that the usual route is available. Our online format is simply an additional way to get a second opinion without waiting for an appointment: coordinators answer round the clock on WhatsApp and Telegram, and the stated reply time is within 15 minutes.

For the consultation, prepare your X-ray, MRI, CT or ultrasound images and any medical reports. A photo of the report is often enough to start. List your medicines, earlier injuries and operations, and note anything that could be a temporary obstacle, such as a fever or skin inflammation over the joint.

After the consultation you receive a plan and the doctor's view on whether treatment without surgery suits you. There is no obligation to book. If you go ahead, the team stays in contact after the procedure and follows how your joint responds, not just on the injection day.

Do the steep streets of Wuppertal make joint problems more likely?

We cannot say terrain causes disease. Slopes and steps can simply make existing knee or hip pain more noticeable. The city ranges from 101 m to 350 m above sea level. If pain appears climbing stairs or after walking, describe it to the doctor and send your scans, and the doctor will judge the stage.

Is the damp winter a bad time for the procedure?

No fixed season is required. The main point is that you are well: a fever, a cold, flu or skin inflammation over the joint are temporary reasons to wait. Wuppertal's wettest months are November to January, so if you feel unwell before the date, tell the coordinator and the date can be moved.

If I start in November 2026, when will I notice changes?

As a guide only: about 1 week of possibly more aching, easing of pain by about 1 month (late December), better mobility by about 3 months (around February 2027) and the full effect by about 6 months (around May 2027). The pace depends on the stage, body weight and activity.

Will my German health insurance pay for PRP or SVF?

It depends on your fund or tariff, and we cannot promise it. About 92% of people in Germany are in statutory insurance, but rules for individual treatments differ. The doctor states the fee after the consultation, so ask your insurer in writing and keep the answer.

Can I cycle the Nordbahntrasse after an injection?

The doctor gives load and exercise recommendations for the first weeks. Normally you return to normal life within a day or two, with no crutches and no long rehabilitation. How soon to take up longer rides depends on your joint, so agree it at the consultation.

I was told I need a joint replacement. Is a second opinion useful?

Yes. Around 400,000 hip and knee replacements were done in Germany in 2016, and for badly damaged joints replacement may be the realistic option. For early or moderate changes it often makes sense to see whether your own joint can be preserved first. Send your X-rays, MRI or reports and the doctor reviews them free of charge.

Do I need to come anywhere for the first consultation?

No. The first consultation and scan review are online. You send images and reports to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram, available 24/7, and the doctor explains whether the procedure could suit you and what else may be needed.

Which complaints should I describe before the consultation?

Note where the pain is, what brings it on, whether it occurs at rest or at night, how long morning stiffness lasts, and whether there is swelling, redness or warmth. This helps tell osteoarthritis from arthritis, which are treated differently.