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Osteoarthritis Treatment in Thika: Steps and Results

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

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)?

Osteoarthritis, also called arthrosis, is a chronic condition in which the cartilage lining a joint gradually thins and wears away. Cartilage works as a shock absorber; as it breaks down, the bones start to rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness and a smaller range of movement. It is a degenerative rather than an inflammatory disease, although flare-ups with swelling do happen.

  • 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 doctor decides on suitability once you have been examined and your scans have been reviewed

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 decides whether the procedure suits you after examining the joint and reviewing X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. Scans you already have can be sent ahead of your visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

Blood in a small amount is drawn from a vein, and later platelet-rich plasma rich in growth factors is prepared from it.

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

Centrifugation separates the sample into layers, and the stromal vascular fraction is isolated, then combined with platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

With ultrasound guiding the needle, the prepared material is injected directly into the affected joint and placed precisely.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

No crutches are needed and there is no hospital stay. The doctor keeps 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

No donor or synthetic material: we use only your own blood and adipose tissue

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

Your adipose tissue, in a small sample, is processed to isolate the stromal vascular fraction (SVF): a combination of cells that take part in tissue repair. With your own plasma added, it is injected into the joint in question.

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

Your own blood, in a small amount, is processed to separate plasma rich in platelets and growth factors, which goes into the joint to calm inflammation and improve conditions for tissue repair.

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

Often chosen for mild osteoarthritis, and paired with SVF if 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

Large or small joints: your scans come first, then the doctor decides on the joint, the method and the number of injections

  • KneeKneeCartilage wear, meniscus problems, pain on stairs and after walking
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain as the arm goes up, wear in the joint and surrounding tendons
  • ElbowElbowPain from overuse or sports load, with worn joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsStiff, painful small joints in the fingers and the wrist
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Instead of replacing your joint, we work to keep it — treatment without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

No donor or synthetic material: we use only your own blood and adipose tissue

No crutches

No crutches

Local anaesthetic and small punctures in place of incisions — no long recovery programme or rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

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

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

After the procedure we stay in contact and track the result — not just 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

Osteoarthritis treatment prices

Cost varies with the stage of osteoarthritis, the joint and the method — the doctor states it after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

Osteoarthritis treatment in Thika step by step

Osteoarthritis is not the same as arthritis. Arthrosis is wear of the cartilage; arthritis is inflammation with pain at rest, swelling and warmth. The approach differs, so the diagnosis comes first for everyone in Thika.

Osteoarthritis treatment in Thika is not done with cancer, acute infections, blood clotting disorders, during pregnancy or during a flare-up of a serious chronic illness. The doctor checks this at the consultation.

A consultation is the first step for every patient from Thika. It is free, and after it you know the stage, the method and the cost of treatment.

Osteoarthritis and everyday life in Thika

Thika is an industrial town and commerce hub in Kiambu County, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania Rivers. It had a population of 279,429 as of the 2019 National Census and is growing rapidly. For a town like this, joint health is a daily practical matter. People spend long hours on their feet in workshops, shops, markets and processing premises. Others sit for hours in minibuses and offices, or climb stairs and carry loads between home and work. Knees, hips, hands and the spine take the strain in all of these routines.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition. It usually shows itself as pain that builds up with activity, stiffness after rest and a slow loss of confidence in movement. Many residents of Thika first notice it when walking to the matatu stage becomes tiring, when kneeling at a family event is uncomfortable, or when a full shift leaves the joints aching by evening. Because the condition is chronic, it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection. That idea is the starting point of every conversation the centre has with patients from Thika.

City Medical Centre works with patients in Thika through a free online consultation. Coordinators are available around the clock (24/7) on Telegram and Telegram, so a shopkeeper, a teacher, a factory worker or a retired person can ask a first question at a convenient moment, without arranging time off or leaving town.

How the remote consultation works for a patient in Thika

The first step is a message to a coordinator on Telegram or Telegram. You describe which joint troubles you, how long the problem has lasted, what makes it worse and what you have already tried. It helps to prepare photographs or scans of earlier X-rays, MRI results, blood tests and any notes from your local doctor. Even a simple list of medicines you take is valuable.

The coordinator arranges a free online consultation with a specialist. During the call the specialist reviews your history and the images, asks about your work and your daily movement, and explains which options may be suitable. Some patients are advised to continue conservative care. Others hear that a regenerative approach may be worth considering. Some are told that their joint is at a stage where surgery will be needed sooner or later. An honest conversation matters more than a quick yes.

Thika has a large business and student population, and mobile internet is widely used. A video call from home, from a quiet office or from a residential estate is realistic. If the connection is weak, the coordinator can continue in writing and with voice messages, so the discussion does not stop.

Arthritis or osteoarthritis: what to separate before any plan

Patients in Thika often use the words arthritis and osteoarthritis as if they meant the same thing. They do not. 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. Osteoarthritis, by contrast, is mainly a wear-related process with cartilage change, and it tends to hurt more with load.

This difference matters, because the plan is different. An inflamed, hot, swollen joint with night pain should be examined by a physician without delay, and blood tests are often part of that. Treating an inflammatory disease as simple wear can cost time. During the online consultation the specialist will ask about night pain, morning stiffness, redness and warmth for exactly this reason.

If you have gout-like attacks, a skin condition such as psoriasis with joint pain, or a recent infection, say so at once. These details guide which investigations your local doctor may need to arrange before any regenerative method is discussed. The centre does not replace such local examinations; it helps you organise your questions and decide on the next step.

SVF therapy: what it is and what the facts say

SVF therapy uses the patient's own adipose tissue. 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 material is then processed and used in the plan agreed with the specialist. For many people in Thika, the fact that it is done under local anaesthetic and without stitches is the first reassuring detail, especially for those who are afraid of hospitals or cannot take long leave from work.

Timing deserves clear expectations. Many patients notice the first changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure. A stable result forms over about six months and can last from several months to several years, depending on the individual. It is therefore wrong to expect an instant change, and equally wrong to think of the effect as fixed for life. Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection.

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. That statement is central to an honest consultation: the earlier the joint is assessed, the more options remain. If your hip or knee has been aching for years and you have postponed a check, a calm online discussion now is better than waiting for a crisis.

Climate in Thika and recovery

Thika stands at an elevation of approximately 1,631 metres and has a subtropical highland climate with sunshine most of the year and an average annual temperature of 19.8 °C. The hottest period is March and April, leading into the long rains, and the coolest month is July. The long rains last from March/April to May/June, and the short rains run from October to November/December. These seasons shape how comfortable recovery is.

In the warm weeks of March and April, strong sun and heat can make a person tired and encourage too much activity. After tissue is taken from the abdomen or inner thigh, the small puncture area should be kept clean and dry, and you should follow the specialist's instructions on dressing and loose clothing. Avoid dusty places on dry days and keep the area out of direct sun. Drink enough water, because dehydration makes joints feel worse.

In the rainy months, the main issue is slippery ground. Wet paths, muddy estate roads and crowded vehicles raise the chance of a fall, which is the last thing a painful knee or hip needs. Wear shoes with good grip, carry an umbrella so you do not hurry, and use a stick or a handrail if the specialist suggests it. The cool weather of July can increase morning stiffness, so gentle warming movements and warm clothing are useful.

These are general comfort tips, not a medical protocol. Your individual recovery instructions come from the specialist who reviews your case and from your local doctor who sees you in person.

Choosing the season and planning around work and family

There is no single best month for everyone in Thika. The question is what your calendar looks like. Many residents work in trade, light industry, transport, farming-related businesses and services, and each has its own busy periods. A person in a shop may find the pre-festive weeks impossible to leave, while a teacher or a student may prefer a school holiday. Talk to your coordinator about your real schedule first and the medical plan second.

Think also about the weather. The cooler July period may feel easier for those who dislike heat, whereas the dry, sunny stretches suit people who want to walk outside. During the long and short rains, plan the practical side: who will help with shopping and household errands if you must move carefully, and how you will reach your local doctor for a check without hurrying through wet streets.

Family events matter in Kenyan life: weddings, funerals, church gatherings and long meals with relatives often involve standing, dancing, carrying and sitting on low seats. If an important event is close, discuss with the specialist whether it is sensible to plan the procedure before or after it. A joint treatment should not be squeezed into the week before a big occasion.

Return to work, walking and sport

Return to work depends on the joint treated, your job and how you feel, and the specialist will give you personal guidance. As a general idea, a desk job is easier to combine with a quiet recovery than heavy manual work. Drivers, market traders, builders and factory staff should speak openly about their physical load so the plan does not simply copy an office worker's schedule.

Thika offers pleasant places for gentle activity. Walks on the flat parts of the town, light exercise in a residential estate, or a calm outing to Chania Falls or Fourteen Falls on the River Athi can be motivating, but only when you can walk comfortably and the terrain is safe. Rocky paths near waterfalls and uneven slopes are not suitable for a joint under treatment, and the ground around the falls can be wet and slippery, so choose such places only with the specialist's agreement.

For sport, amateur football, running and golf are popular in and around Thika. Do not go back to them by your own timetable. Ask the specialist when low-impact exercise such as walking and gentle strengthening is suitable, and when impact or twisting sports can restart. Remember that a stable result forms over about six months, so patience is part of the plan, and strengthening the muscles around the joint remains useful throughout.

Food, weight and everyday habits that help joints

Thika is surrounded by farming land, and fresh vegetables, fruit, beans, maize, potatoes and greens are easy to find in local markets. Traditional meals such as githeri, mukimo and stewed vegetables can fit a joint-friendly pattern when portions are sensible and frying is limited. Fish, legumes and plenty of vegetables are good everyday choices. You do not have to abandon your food culture; small changes are more realistic than strict diets.

Body weight is a real factor for hips and knees. The World Health Organization describes overweight and obesity as conditions that raise the risk of chronic disease, and extra weight adds load to the joints you use with every step. Even modest weight control makes walking easier. Sugary drinks, large portions at festive meals and frequent fried snacks are common pitfalls, and they are worth discussing candidly with the specialist or a dietitian.

Other habits matter too. Avoid long periods in one position, take short movement breaks if you sit at a counter or desk, use supportive footwear and keep the home free from loose rugs and cables. If you smoke, ask about stopping, because it affects general tissue health. None of this replaces treatment, but a plan that combines a procedure with daily habits has a better chance of holding.

Who may be a candidate, who should wait, and what to ask

In general terms, SVF therapy is considered for people with joint pain linked to osteoarthritis whose condition is still at early stages (1–2), and who want to support the joint and possibly delay replacement. It is less suitable for advanced damage, where surgery is usually required. Active infection, an untreated inflammatory flare, serious uncontrolled illness or a blood-clotting problem can be reasons to postpone or avoid the procedure. Pregnancy and breastfeeding also call for individual discussion. The specialist makes the final decision after reviewing your documents.

Prepare questions before the online call. Which stage is my joint, and how do you judge it? Is my pain from osteoarthritis or from an inflammatory disease? What does the procedure involve step by step, and what do I need to arrange locally? What is realistic at 2–3 weeks, and what at about six months? What if the effect fades after several months? Which exercises are safe, and what should I tell my local doctor? Guidance such as NICE NG226, Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management, stresses education, exercise and weight management as the base of care, so ask how the procedure fits with them.

You may also invite someone you trust to the call. A spouse, an adult child or a friend often remembers details you forget, and in Thika, where family involvement in health decisions is common, this can make the decision calmer and better informed.

Can I have the consultation from Thika without leaving town?

Yes. The consultation is free and online. You write to a coordinator on Telegram or Telegram, who is available around the clock (24/7), share your documents and then speak with a specialist by video or in writing from home or the workplace.

What documents should I prepare?

Send earlier X-rays, MRI or ultrasound results, blood tests, doctor's notes and a list of your current medicines. If you have none, describe your symptoms clearly, and the specialist will tell you which investigations your local doctor should arrange.

How is arthritis different from osteoarthritis?

Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints, with pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth. Causes include rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis. Osteoarthritis is mainly wear-related and chronic.

What happens during the SVF procedure?

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 specialist explains the following steps during your consultation.

When will I notice a change?

Many patients notice the first changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure. A stable result forms over about six months. The effect can last from several months to several years, depending on the individual.

Is one procedure enough?

Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a single injection. The plan includes exercise, weight control, suitable footwear, follow-up with your local doctor and, where appropriate, repeat assessment.

Is the method suitable for every stage?

No. 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, and the specialist will say so openly.

Does the hot or rainy season in Thika matter?

It affects comfort. March and April are the hottest period, so protect the puncture area from sun and dust and drink enough water. During the long rains, from March/April to May/June, and the short rains, from October to November/December, wet ground raises the risk of slipping, so wear shoes with grip.

When can I return to work and sport?

This depends on the joint, your job and your recovery. Desk work is usually easier to resume than heavy manual work. Ask the specialist for a personal plan, and do not return to football, running or golf until it is agreed.

Who should not have the procedure?

Active infection, an untreated inflammatory flare, serious uncontrolled illness, clotting problems or pregnancy may require postponement or another approach. Tell the specialist about your full medical history during the consultation.