Regenerative Medicine Insights from the APMA National

How should podiatrists approach regenerative medicine in everyday foot and ankle practice? In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, host Dr. Jennifer Spector speaks with Priya Parthasarathy, DPM, about the evolving role of regenerative medicine, including patient selection, evidence-based decision-making, and where biologic therapies may fit into modern podiatric care.

Key Takeaways

• Regenerative medicine (foot and ankle care): Therapies aim to support the body’s natural healing response and may complement clinical judgment, rehabilitation, or surgery; accurate diagnosis and tools such as diagnostic ultrasound can guide treatment selection.
• Patient selection: Potential candidates include patients with longstanding plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, or certain ligament injuries unresponsive to conservative care; therapy should match pathology, patient goals, and realistic expectations.
• Clinical integration: Regenerative therapies may be considered earlier when appropriate, rather than only after all options fail. Clinicians should evaluate the available evidence, underlying science, clinical experience, and patient goals before incorporating emerging modalities.

Please note: This content is a direct transcript, capturing the authentic conversation without edits. Some language may reflect the flow of live discussion rather than polished text. 

Transcript

Jennifer Spector, DPM: Hello and welcome back to the Podiatry Today Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Jennifer Spector, the associate editorial director for Podiatry Today. Regenerative medicine continues to generate significant interest across healthcare and foot and ankle specialists are increasingly evaluating how biologic and regenerative therapies may fit into evidence-based patient care. But with rapid innovation comes important questions about patient selection, clinical decision-making, and realistic expectations. Joining me today is our guest, Dr. Priya Parthasarathy, president of the Maryland Podiatric Medical Association, chair of the APMA Development Committee, and a partner of US Foot and Ankle Specialists. She's here today to discuss the current role of regenerative medicine in podiatry, where these therapies may offer clinical value, and what practicing podiatrist should consider as the field continues to evolve. We've had guests speaking about this topic before, but she's presenting at the 2026 APMA National where she'll also be addressing these topics.

Dr. Parthasarathy, welcome to the podcast.

Priya Parthasarathy, DPM: Thank you so much for having me. Always love joining this podcast.

Jennifer Spector, DPM: Well, we always love speaking with you and you have been a really great resource on this topic in particular, so I would love to hear what you are thinking and what you're seeing in the field right now. Regenerative medicine is a broad term that's getting thrown around a lot and it seems to be just rapidly changing and evolving. You've been kind enough to discuss this with us in the past, as have others, but I think this term deserves some renewed attention. How do you, from your perspective, define regenerative medicine and where do you see it fitting in everyday foot and ankle practice?

Priya Parthasarathy, DPM: So regenerative medicine is one of the most exciting areas in foot and ankle care right now, but it's also one that's most misunderstood. I think of it as using therapies that support the body's natural healing response. Now, it's not a replacement for good clinical judgment, rehabilitation, or surgery when surgery is indicated, but I think of it as another tool in our toolbox. But the key here is making the right diagnosis, selecting the right patient, and then using tools when appropriate such as diagnostic ultrasound to better understand the pathology before deciding on the best treatment. So when we take that really thoughtful, individualized, custom-made plans for our patients, regenerative medicine can be really valuable as part of our everyday foot and ankle care.

Jennifer Spector, DPM: And so on that note, what are some of the most appropriate patient populations or conditions where in your experience these therapies might have the greatest benefit?

Priya Parthasarathy, DPM: So the patients that I usually think about and what the literature talks about is those chronic degenerative conditions. So things like long-standing plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, or certain ligament injuries that haven't responded to conservative care. But patient selection is everything. It's really important about matching the right therapy to the right pathology and considering the patient's goals. And one of the most critical things is setting realistic expectations from the beginning. However, there's a caveat to that because one thing that I always remind colleagues when I either mentor them about regenerative medicine or how to start this in their clinic is remember that by the time most patients finally come to see us, they've often been dealing with pain for months on months. So you have to change your mindset that their condition is already chronic most of the time before they even walk through the door.

So one of my biggest learning points is don't be afraid to consider regenerative therapies at the appropriate time earlier in your treatment plan rather than waiting until every option has failed. And I think that has taken me a while to incorporate into my practice, but I've been doing this for many, many years. But remember, when all these pieces come together, regenerative medicine can be valuable part of the entire treatment plan right from the beginning. So I always question what is a chronic condition?

Jennifer Spector, DPM: And so I know if people want to learn more about this topic from you, the best way to do that is to attend your session at the APMA National. But for folks that may not be able to do that, if you could leave podiatrists with one key takeaway about incorporating these types of therapies into their treatment decision-making, what would that be?

Priya Parthasarathy, DPM: So I would say stay curious and stay evidence-based as well. Regenerative medicine is evolving quickly and the literature continues to grow. We don't want to overpromise, but we shouldn't dismiss therapies that may benefit the right patient. So at the end of the day, it's about using the best available evidence combined with clinical experience and patient goals to help people heal, and we just want them to stay active and stay active earlier. So you want to research these new upcoming regenerative medicine modalities, you want to talk to other people that are using it, you want to look at the literature, you want to look at the science behind it and understand the science, and then incorporate it into your practice. I mean, the best thing to do is to go ahead, take the leap and try it, but do your homework.

Jennifer Spector, DPM: I think that's extremely wise advice and thank you so much for sharing your insights on this to help us better understand where these emerging therapies might fit in our practices.

Priya Parthasarathy, DPM: Thank you for having me.

Jennifer Spector, DPM: And thanks to all the listeners for joining us today. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so that you never miss a future conversation covering the latest advances in podiatric medicine, wound care, sports medicine, diabetic foot management, and practice innovation. As always, you can find additional clinical articles, podcasts, videos, and resources anytime at podiatrytoday.com. Until next time, thanks for listening.