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Arthrosis Treatment in Belfast Without Surgery

We treat arthrosis in the knee, hip and other joints with SVF cell therapy and PRP, and review your X-rays or MRI for free to judge the stage

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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What it is

What is osteoarthritis
(arthrosis)?

Arthrosis (osteoarthritis) means slow, chronic wear of the cartilage lining the joint. Healthy cartilage softens impact; when it thins, the bones rub on each other and the joint hurts, stiffens and moves less. Although flare-ups with swelling happen, this is a degenerative disease rather than an inflammatory one.

  • 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: flu or a cold, fever, or skin inflammation over the joint being 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 examines the joint, reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and decides whether the procedure suits you. If you already have scans, you can send them before the visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

A small volume of venous blood is collected; from it, platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is prepared later on.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

The doctor numbs the area with local anaesthetic and takes about 30 ml of adipose tissue through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh; stitches are not required.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

Spinning in a centrifuge splits the sample into layers, after which the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

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

Follow-up6

Follow-up

You go without crutches and without a hospital stay; the doctor keeps in touch afterwards and follows the joint's response.

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

Nothing synthetic, nothing from donors — only your own blood and adipose tissue are used

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

From a small sample of your adipose tissue, the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is isolated — a set of cells involved in repairing tissue. Mixed with your own plasma, it is then injected into the joint that is affected.

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

It is chosen mostly for early and moderate osteoarthritis, where it slows cartilage wear and reduces friction between joint surfaces.

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 small amount of your blood is used to separate plasma rich in platelets and growth factors, which is then injected into the joint. It helps settle inflammation and creates better conditions for tissue repair.

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

It is a common option in mild osteoarthritis and is combined with SVF where a stronger effect is needed.

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

Treatment for both large and small joints — your scans guide the doctor's choice of joint, method and number of injections

  • KneeKneeMeniscus problems, cartilage wear and pain when walking or on stairs
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderRaising the arm is painful; wear of the joint and nearby tendons
  • ElbowElbowPain after sports strain or overuse, plus wear of the joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsSmall joints of the fingers and wrist: pain and stiffness
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

We work on keeping your own joint rather than replacing it — treatment without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

Nothing synthetic, nothing from donors — only your own blood and adipose tissue are used

No crutches

No crutches

Instead of incisions we use punctures, under local anaesthetic, with no long rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

Your X-rays, MRI or reports are assessed independently by a doctor at no charge once you send them

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

Not just the injection day — we stay in touch after the procedure and follow your 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

Osteoarthritis treatment prices

Since the joint, the method and the stage of osteoarthritis determine the cost, it is named by the doctor after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

What Belfast residents ask about osteoarthritis

Without treatment, osteoarthritis usually progresses: pain becomes constant, movement becomes limited and the joint may deform. Early diagnosis, weight control, exercise and working with a doctor make a real difference for every patient in Belfast.

Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection. In Belfast, the doctor combines SVF or PRP with advice on weight, exercise and load for the joint.

Patients from Belfast can start with a free review of their scans: the doctor assesses the stage of osteoarthritis and tells you whether non-surgical treatment makes sense. The price is named at the consultation.

Wear on the joints in a city of about 352,000 people

Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Belfast district had 351,927 residents in 2025, and the wider metropolitan area is about twice that. Over 133 km² the density is roughly 2,647 people per km². In a population of that size, osteoarthritis is not a rare diagnosis. The NHS describes it as the most common type of arthritis in the UK. Arthritis UK estimates that more than 10 million adults, young people and children across the country live with some form of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (arthrosis) is slow, chronic wear of the cartilage that lines the joint. Healthy cartilage softens impact. When it thins, the bone ends rub on each other, and the joint aches, stiffens and moves less. This is a degenerative condition rather than an inflammatory one, although flare-ups with swelling do occur. The knees and hips are affected most because they carry the greatest load. The ankle and the small joints of the hand follow.

The NHS notes that the risk rises with age and is higher in women than in men. It is also higher in people with obesity or a previous joint injury. A GP may begin to suspect osteoarthritis in people aged 45 or older. If you recognise yourself in that description, the useful step is to establish the stage of wear. A free online consultation with City Medical Centre is built around that question. You send your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound to the coordinator, and a doctor reviews them at no charge. The doctor decides whether the joint is at an early or moderate stage, where injections of your own tissue are usually considered. If the joint is badly worn, the doctor will say frankly that a joint replacement may be the more realistic option.

The treatment we describe is non-surgical. It uses SVF (the stromal vascular fraction, isolated from a small sample of your own adipose tissue) together with PRP, which is platelet-rich plasma from your own blood. Nothing donor or synthetic is used. Everything is injected into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance.

Body weight, work and sport: what loads a joint in Belfast

Weight is one of the factors the NHS names for osteoarthritis. The Health Survey Northern Ireland 2023/24 recorded 28% of adults as obese and 37% as overweight, so 64% were above a healthy weight. For a knee or a hip, extra body mass means extra load with every step. This is why the doctor asks about weight during the consultation. On the service side, the same factor affects how long an effect lasts. How long the benefit holds differs from person to person and depends on the stage, body weight and activity, so nobody can promise a fixed outcome.

A Belfast Health and Social Care Trust reply from January 2026 states that its dietetic department has no specialist tier 3 and 4 obesity management service. Obesity is handled through core dietetic services along regionally agreed elective care pathways. In practical terms, if you are heavier and your joints hurt, weight control and treatment of the joint have to be planned side by side, and you may need to arrange the weight part yourself. The doctor at City Medical Centre can discuss the joint side of this during the consultation. You can then decide how to combine it with dietary advice you already receive.

Work and sport add their own load. Physical work and sport appear in the list of situations where treatment may suit you, as does recovery after injuries and surgery. The city's terrain also matters. The basalt escarpment on the north and north-west rises to Divis Mountain at 478 m, Black Mountain at 389 m and Cavehill at 368 m. Descending those slopes puts the knee under repeated braking load. The Castlereagh and Hollywood hills to the south-east have similar gradients. If you notice pain on stairs or after a long walk, mention which slopes or routes trigger it. The doctor can then relate the pain to the scan.

The Belfast Marathon is run annually on May Day, with about 15,000 participants across all events. Running on hard surfaces is one of the activities the doctor will advise reducing if you already have arthrosis. Joint pain after training is a reason to send your scans and ask, not to push through.

Cold, damp months and morning stiffness

Belfast has a mild, maritime climate. The Met Office normals show a mean annual temperature of 9.9 °C. January is the coldest month, with a mean maximum of 8.2 °C, and the February minimum averages 2.1 °C. July is the warmest month at a mean maximum of 19.7 °C, and summer highs stay under 20 °C. The range is gentle, but the damp is persistent. Annual precipitation is 938.7 mm over 156.2 days. November is the wettest month at 102.3 mm over 15.5 days, followed by October at 95.8 mm and December at 93.3 mm.

Sunlight is scarce in midwinter. December has just 35.3 hours of sunshine and January 40.1 hours, against 185.1 hours in May. We cannot say that weather causes osteoarthritis. People with arthrosis often describe stiffness after rest, and the dark, wet months mean fewer outdoor walks. For many, a joint that is not moved much in November and December feels worse by January.

The doctor will not promise a link between weather and your symptoms. What the doctor can do is separate two patterns that look similar. In osteoarthritis the pain is aching, comes with movement, and is followed by crunching and stiffness after rest. In arthritis the joint is inflamed, with pain at rest and at night, swelling, redness and warmth, and morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes. The approach to treatment differs, so diagnosis comes first. Describe when your joint hurts most, and mention any swelling or warmth.

Timing around the seasons is practical. After the procedure the joint may ache a little more for about a week, which is an expected reaction. The pain usually eases by about a month, and mobility and activity improve at around three months. The full effect develops at around six months. If you start in the autumn, those milestones fall in the darkest and wettest part of the year. If you start in spring, the improving months line up with the sunniest ones: May has 185.1 hours of sunshine, April 157.1 hours and June 151.1 hours. The doctor can help you plan around the work and family calendar you actually have.

Moving safely: greenways, cycling and daily activity

Exercise is part of osteoarthritis management, not an alternative to it. Suitable activity builds the muscles that unload the joint and helps feed the cartilage. Swimming, water aerobics, cycling, Nordic walking and yoga are the kinds of activity the doctor recommends. Running on hard surfaces, jumping, heavy lifting and sudden movements are best avoided.

Belfast has a good fit for these choices. The Connswater Community Greenway offers 16 km of continuous cycle and walkway through east Belfast. A flat, continuous path is easier on an arthritic knee than steep hills. National Cycle Route 9 to Newry also starts in the city. Cycling is a low-impact option for the knee and hip, and flat stretches let you adjust pace and distance as your joint allows. Use these paths as an example of the type of surface to look for.

Bank holidays can mean a change in routine, and Northern Ireland has 10 in 2026. They include St Patrick's Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne substitute day on 13 July, in addition to the set shared with England and Wales. Time off is a chance to rest a flared joint or to add gentle activity. Coordinators at City Medical Centre answer on WhatsApp and Telegram round the clock, so you can send scans on any day, including a public holiday. Large events in the city are another matter. The St Patrick's Day celebration in the city centre, Belfast Pride's parade at the end of July and the Féile an Phobail festival, which draws over 100,000 visitors, mean long periods standing or walking. If a hip or knee is already sore, plan rest breaks and comfortable footwear.

Students and younger adults are a smaller part of the picture. Queen's University Belfast has more than 25,000 students, and Belfast Metropolitan College has over 53,000 enrolled. Osteoarthritis is mostly associated with age, but joint injury is one of the named risk factors. A past sports injury or a meniscus problem can lead to wear years later. The conditions we assess include meniscus pathology and injury, and rehabilitation after injuries and surgery.

Coverage, guidance and what an online consultation adds

Health-service guidance for osteoarthritis rests on stepwise care. For the hip, the NHS says replacement may be considered when pain and stiffness have a big effect on life and other treatments have not worked. It names osteoarthritis as the leading cause of that situation. In other words, the standard route reaches the operating table late, after other options have been tried. People who want to postpone or avoid replacement, or who want a second opinion on their scans, look for what can be done earlier. This is where treatment with your own tissue comes in. It is meant for early or moderate arthrosis, not for a joint that has lost its joint space.

It helps to be clear about what is and is not covered. NHS guidance on cosmetic procedures says they are not routinely provided, with exceptions for health reasons. Our service is not cosmetic, but whether a given private treatment is covered by a health plan or insurer is a separate question you should check with the provider. The doctor will not quote the cost during the free review. Cost is given after the consultation and depends on the joint, the method and the stage. The consultation and review of your scans are free of charge, with no obligation to book anything.

The online process is short. You message the coordinator and send your X-ray, MRI or ultrasound. The doctor reviews the images, may ask about your symptoms and weight, and tells you whether treatment without surgery suits you. If it does, the procedure follows these steps. A small blood sample is taken for PRP. Under local anaesthetic, about 30 ml of adipose tissue is collected through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, and no stitches are needed. The samples are spun in a centrifuge, the SVF is isolated and blended with the plasma, and the mixture is injected into the joint under ultrasound. The whole procedure is done in one day, with no crutches and no hospital stay. Afterwards the doctor stays in touch and follows how the joint responds.

Some conditions rule treatment out. These are cancer, pregnancy, blood clotting disorders, acute infections including infection in or near the joint, and a flare-up of a serious chronic illness. Temporary reasons to wait include a raised temperature, a cold or flu, and inflamed skin over the target joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is a different case. The NHS notes it has no cure and is treated with long-term medicine, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The doctor will separate inflammatory disease from wear during the review.

Does the damp Belfast climate make osteoarthritis worse?

We cannot promise a direct link. Belfast has 938.7 mm of precipitation over 156.2 days a year, and November is the wettest month, while January is the coldest with a mean maximum of 8.2 °C. Many people with arthrosis notice more stiffness after rest and less activity in those months. The doctor will ask when your joint hurts most and check whether the pattern fits wear or an inflamed joint, which needs a different approach.

I am under 45. Can I still have osteoarthritis?

Yes. The NHS says a GP may suspect osteoarthritis in people aged 45 or older, but joint injury is also a named risk factor. A past sports injury or meniscus damage can cause wear earlier. Send your scans for a free review, and the doctor will establish the stage and tell you whether treatment suits you.

Does my weight affect whether treatment suits me?

It affects the load on the joint and how long any effect lasts. In Northern Ireland 28% of adults are obese and 37% overweight, according to the Health Survey 2023/24. The doctor will discuss weight during the consultation as one of the factors, along with the stage, activity and other individual features. No one can promise a fixed result.

Which activities suit an arthritic knee near the Belfast hills?

Low-impact choices such as swimming, water aerobics, cycling, Nordic walking and yoga are recommended. Steep descents on slopes like Cavehill at 368 m load the knee repeatedly, so flat routes such as the 16 km Connswater Community Greenway are easier on the joint. Avoid running on hard surfaces, jumping, heavy lifting and sudden movements.

Is it better to start in the cold months or in spring?

There is no fixed rule, and the doctor confirms timing at the consultation. Remember the pace of recovery. The joint may ache a little more for about a week, pain usually eases at around a month, mobility improves at about three months and the full effect develops at about six months. Choose a start that lets you rest in the first week and gradually increase activity afterwards.

Can I send scans I already have, such as an X-ray from my GP?

Yes. Existing X-rays, MRI or ultrasound results and blood tests can be sent to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram, round the clock. A doctor reviews them free of charge, assesses the stage and proposes a non-surgical plan where appropriate. If the joint is too worn, the doctor will say so frankly.

How is this different from waiting for a hip replacement?

The NHS considers hip replacement when pain and stiffness greatly affect life and other treatments have not worked. Injections of your own SVF and PRP are meant for earlier stages, aiming to ease pain and support the cartilage without an operation, and may help postpone replacement. In advanced wear the doctor will tell you that replacement is the more realistic option.

Will my health plan or insurer pay for this?

That depends on your plan and your insurer, and we cannot say in advance. The consultation and scan review are free. The doctor gives the cost of treatment after the consultation, once the joint, method and stage are known. If you need a written plan for an insurer, ask the coordinator.