Orthobiologics · Mount Pleasant, SC
Orthobiologics in Charleston & Mount Pleasant
If a tendon or joint has hurt for months, and rest, therapy or a cortisone shot haven’t been enough, you may be wondering whether a treatment made from your own body could help. Orthobiologics use your own blood, bone marrow or fat to support the body’s healing response, with the goal of easing pain and improving function.
I’m Dr. Shane Woolf, a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon. I offer conservative care, orthobiologics and surgery, so we can weigh every option together, and none of them is the default.
Consultations at 1230 Hospital Drive, Mount Pleasant · Office and directions
Three options, all from your own body
From a small blood draw
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
Often considered for tendon pain and early to moderate arthritis.
Prepared and injected in the office, usually with ultrasound guidance, in under an hour.
Learn more →From your own bone marrow
Bone marrow concentrate (BMAC)
Selected moderate arthritis and stubborn tendon or cartilage problems, sometimes alongside arthroscopy.
Drawn from the pelvis under local anesthetic, concentrated and injected the same visit.
Learn more →From a small amount of your own fat
Microfat (adipose tissue)
Moderate arthritis in the knee, hip or shoulder when other injections have stopped helping.
Harvested through a tiny cannula under local anesthetic, processed and injected the same visit.
Learn more →Who may be a candidate
- +Tendon pain in the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee or Achilles that hasn’t settled after a fair trial of conservative care
- +Early to moderate arthritis of the knee, shoulder or hip
- +Partial tendon or ligament injuries
- +Active adults who want a less invasive option discussed before surgery is considered
When another path may fit better
- –Conservative care hasn’t had a fair trial yet
- –A tendon tear with weakness that needs repair
- –Shoulder instability, or a knee that locks or gives way
- –Advanced arthritis where a joint replacement is more likely to help
How I decide with you
- 01
An exam and imaging review
Including office ultrasound when it adds useful detail, so we know which tissue is the problem.
- 02
Conservative care first
Activity changes, physician-directed therapy and other standard care get a fair trial before an orthobiologic is considered.
- 03
Matching the option to you
The choice depends on the tissue, the extent of wear and what you want to get back to. I explain the evidence honestly, including its limits.
- 04
Tracking results
Every patient I treat with orthobiologics is entered in the DataBiologics patient registry, which records results, complications and issues over time.
What recovery looks like
Most people have soreness for a few days, then follow a directed therapy plan. Any improvement tends to build gradually over several weeks, so we schedule follow-up to measure pain and function rather than guess.
Cost and insurance
Most major insurance plans, including Medicare, are accepted for visits. Orthobiologic injections are generally self-pay. The office will give you the exact cost before anything is scheduled.
A related option: focused shockwave
Shockwave isn’t an orthobiologic. It’s a needle-free energy treatment done in the office, often considered for long-standing tendon pain. About focused shockwave
Learn more before your visit
Ready to talk it through?
Most patients are from Mount Pleasant and Charleston; others travel from Summerville, Hilton Head, Bluffton, Columbia, Myrtle Beach and across South Carolina. Bring your imaging and prior notes, and we’ll review them together. Areas served
General information only — not medical advice. Results vary, and no treatment can promise to regrow cartilage or replace surgery. Your plan is confirmed in person after an exam and imaging review.