Orthokine Regenerative Joint Therapy

Orthokine is an autologous biological joint therapy in which the patient's own blood is drawn, specially incubated to concentrate anti-inflammatory cytokines (including IL-1Ra) at levels up to 140 times their baseline concentration, and then injected into the affected joint or tendon. Unlike corticosteroid injections, which suppress inflammation systemically and may weaken cartilage over time, Orthokine introduces the body's own regulatory proteins to interrupt the inflammatory cycle at its source — without synthetic drugs. Sportklinik is one of only a handful of Czech clinics offering this protocol, with MUDr. Jiří Neumann performing all procedures. A standard course is 6 applications over approximately 30 days.

Orthokine belongs to the class of autologous conditioned serum (ACS) therapies — a regenerative medicine approach that uses the patient's own biological material, modified ex-vivo, to reduce joint inflammation and slow cartilage degradation. The mechanism centres on interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra): IL-1 is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine elevated in osteoarthritic and acutely inflamed joints, and IL-1Ra is its natural counter-regulator. In conventional physiology, IL-1Ra levels in inflamed tissue are insufficient to overcome the inflammatory signal. The Orthokine process dramatically amplifies the body's own IL-1Ra — clinical studies report concentration increases of 40- to 140-fold above baseline — restoring the physiological balance that the inflammatory condition has disrupted. The procedure at Sportklinik follows a same-day two-visit protocol. In the morning, the physician (MUDr. Jiří Neumann) performs a venous blood draw of approximately 60 ml. The blood is transferred to specially coated glass spheres inside a sealed cultivation device and incubated at 37°C for 8–9 hours — during which the spheres trigger the leucocytes to produce concentrated cytokine serum. The serum is centrifuged, filtered, and divided into 6 aliquots for the treatment course. In the afternoon of the same day, the first aliquot is injected directly into the target joint or tendon under sterile conditions; subsequent injections follow every 5–7 days. Indications at Sportklinik include arthrosis/osteoarthritis of large joints (knee, hip, shoulder, ankle) at stages I–III of the Kellgren–Lawrence grading, post-arthroscopic rehabilitation, tendinopathies that have not responded to conservative management (tennis elbow, Achilles tendinopathy), and selected cases of spinal disc-related pain. The clinic emphasises that Orthokine is not a cure for end-stage joint disease but can substantially reduce pain, improve function, and delay or eliminate the need for surgical intervention in appropriately selected patients. No anaesthesia is required; the injection is performed under local skin anaesthesia if needed, and patients are ambulatory immediately afterwards. Post-injection, patients are advised to rest the treated area for 24 hours, avoid sauna, solarium, and strenuous exercise for 48 hours, and abstain from systemic anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) throughout the course as they may interfere with the cytokine response. Sportklinik is among the very few Czech facilities (alongside a centre in Ostrava) with the clinical protocol, equipment, and physician training to offer Orthokine — making it a reference destination for patients across the Hradec Králové, Pardubice, and East Bohemia region. Contact MUDr. Neumann directly to discuss eligibility and pricing.