Has pain gotten you down?

Maybe you've stopped skiing because your knee hurts. Maybe your shoulder keeps you from climbing, your back makes long bike rides impossible, or you've simply started saying no to the things you used to love.

For people who live in the Rockies, pain can mean more than discomfort. It can mean losing movement, independence, and the activities that make life feel like your own.

But an injury or chronic pain doesn't always have to mean another surgery—or simply another pill.

For some patients, there may be another path: helping the body use its own biology as part of the healing process.

Using Your Body to Help Your Body Heal

This is the philosophy behind regenerative medicine and orthobiologics.

As a board-certified, fellowship-trained physician specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spine and Sports Medicine, and interventional orthopedics, Sonja Stilp, M.D. takes a non-operative approach to helping patients return to the activities and lives they value.

Her focus isn't simply on treating an MRI or numbing a painful joint. It is on understanding why something hurts, how that pain is affecting function, and what it will take to help a person move forward.

Regenerative treatments may be one part of that equation.

At St. Vincent Health, Dr. Stilp offers two orthobiologic treatments using materials derived from the patient's own body:

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) uses a concentrated portion of the patient's own blood containing platelets and biologically active components involved in the body's natural healing response.

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) uses bone marrow obtained from the pelvic bone and concentrated for use in selected orthopedic conditions.

These treatments are not appropriate for every injury or every patient. The goal is not to promise a quick fix. The goal is to thoughtfully determine whether supporting the body's own biology may have a role in an individualized treatment plan.

The Goal Isn't Just Less Pain. It's More Life.

That distinction matters.

For an active person, success isn't always measured by a pain score. It may be measured by getting back on a bike. Returning to the climbing wall. Hiking with your family. Playing with your grandchildren. Skiing a favorite run. Or simply waking up without thinking about your back before you think about your day.

That is where a physiatrist's perspective can be valuable.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation looks at the whole picture—pain, movement, strength, biomechanics, lifestyle, goals, and function. Regenerative treatments, when appropriate, can be considered alongside rehabilitation, strength training, activity modification, and other non-operative treatments.

The goal is not to stop moving. It's to find a smarter way forward.

 

Bringing Specialized Care to the Mountains

The Rocky Mountains are a remarkable place to live an active life. At St. Vincent Health, Dr. Stilp brings specialized sports medicine, interventional orthopedics, pain management, and regenerative medicine closer to home for patients in Leadville, Lake County, and surrounding mountain communities.

love simply because your body needs a different approach.

Keep moving. Keep exploring. Keep living.

For appointments with Sonja Stilp, M.D. at St. Vincent Health Specialty Clinics in Leadville, call 719-486-0230.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Regenerative treatments may not be appropriate for every patient or condition. Talk with a qualified medical professional to determine whether a particular treatment is right for you.