RegenSelect · Conditions · Hip Pain

Stem Cell Therapy for Hip Pain

Who qualifies, what the evidence actually shows, and how to find a verified orthopedic provider.

Hip pain from osteoarthritis, labral tears, or tendinopathy is one of the most debilitating orthopedic conditions — and one of the most common reasons patients seek regenerative medicine as an alternative to hip replacement surgery. Stem cell therapy and PRP are offered by orthopedic and sports medicine providers across the country for a range of hip conditions.

This page presents what the evidence actually shows — including where the research is strong and where it is still limited — so you can have an informed conversation with a provider.

Who is a candidate

Hip Osteoarthritis

The most common indication. Moderate OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grades 2–3) shows the strongest response. Bone-on-bone grade 4 has significantly lower success rates and most orthopedic providers will not treat it with regenerative injections alone.

Labral Tears

Partial and degenerative labral tears are the primary target. Full-thickness tears causing mechanical symptoms (locking, giving way) typically require surgical evaluation before pursuing regenerative options.

Hip Bursitis & Tendinopathy

Greater trochanteric bursitis and gluteus medius tendinopathy respond well to PRP injection, with strong support from clinical studies. Often covered as an alternative to cortisone.

Avascular Necrosis (Early Stage)

Early-stage AVN (Ficat grade I–II) before collapse is an emerging indication. Regenerative therapy is sometimes used alongside core decompression. Advanced AVN generally requires surgical intervention.

What the evidence shows

Hip OA has a smaller independent trial base than knee OA. PRP for hip soft tissue conditions (bursitis, tendinopathy) has the strongest randomized trial support.

Hip OA reported improvement rates

Patient-reported improvement in clinic outcome studies. Hip OA is less studied than knee OA — independent trial data is more limited.

60–75%

PRP for hip bursitis/tendinopathy

Multiple randomized trials show PRP outperforms cortisone for trochanteric bursitis and gluteal tendinopathy at 12-month follow-up.

Strong support

Best candidate profile

Kellgren-Lawrence grades 2–3 (moderate OA with joint space narrowing, not yet bone-on-bone). Grade 4 responds poorly.

KL Grade 2–3

Typical recovery timeline

Peak benefit is typically seen between 3 and 6 months post-procedure. Hip responses can take slightly longer than knee.

3–6 months

What it costs

Most providers charge $5,000–$15,000 per hip. Hip procedures tend to cost more than knee due to the complexity of image-guided access to the joint. The procedure is cash-pay only — insurance does not cover regenerative hip injections.

Price varies by cell source (BMAC vs. PRP vs. adipose), imaging guidance required, and provider location. Always confirm whether the quoted price includes follow-up visits.

Questions to ask before you book

1.

What type of biological product do you use — autologous bone marrow aspirate (BMAC), adipose-derived, or PRP?

2.

Is the procedure image-guided (ultrasound or fluoroscopy)? Hip injections especially require imaging to confirm accurate placement.

3.

Do you have outcomes data for hip OA patients specifically — not just combined orthopedic data?

4.

What is my Kellgren-Lawrence grade and am I a good candidate based on it?

5.

Do you treat the joint only, or also address surrounding soft tissue (labrum, hip flexors, bursae)?

Find a verified hip specialist

Every provider in the RegenSelect directory has been verified to offer regenerative medicine with an orthopedic focus. Filter by condition to find hip specialists near you.

Browse Hip Specialists →How we verify providersIs it worth the cost? →