Clinical Outcomes of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Musculoskeletal Injuries: Implications for Return to Sport-A Systematic Review

Mitsla Chusnica Aulia As’ar; Indah Ein Fajarwati Wainsaf; Siti Syahral Ain; Wisnu Gandhi Triwibowo

doi:10.62027/praba.v4i3.840

Authors

Mitsla Chusnica Aulia As’ar Universitas Papua
Indah Ein Fajarwati Wainsaf Universitas Papua
Siti Syahral Ain Universitas Papua
Wisnu Gandhi Triwibowo Universitas Papua

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62027/praba.v4i3.840

Keywords:

Athletes, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Musculoskeletal Injury, Regenerative Medicine, Return to Sport, Tissue Regeneration

Abstract

Musculoskeletal injuries are a leading cause of reduced functional performance and delayed return to sports among athletes. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has emerged as a promising regenerative approach; however, its clinical effectiveness particularly regarding return to sports remains uncertain. This study set out to assess the available clinical evidence on how effective mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is for treating musculoskeletal injuries, using a systematic review conducted in line with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Epistemonikos for publications from 2022 to 2026. Clinical studies meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed narratively. A total of four clinical studies were included in the synthesis. The results showed that MSC therapy was able to reduce pain and improve function as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Lysholm, and Constant Scores, and demonstrated signs of tissue regeneration through imaging examinations. The benefits of the therapy were primarily observed during the early recovery phase, whereas long-term outcomes generally did not differ significantly from those of the control group. No studies directly evaluated return to sports. Thus, MSC therapy has the potential to accelerate early recovery and support tissue regeneration in musculoskeletal injuries; however, evidence regarding its long-term benefits and its impact on return to sports remains limited, so high-quality clinical trials with standardized return-to-sports outcomes are needed.

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