Soft Tissue Repair Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Growing geriatric population - As per the WHO predictions, one in six individuals worldwide will be 60 years of age or older by 2030. At this point, there will be 1.4 billion people over the age of 60, up from 1 billion in 2020. When people age, their physical systems age as well, including the musculoskeletal system. One may notice a decline in general quickness and movement and weaker bones and less slender muscles.
  
  The possibility of falls and injuries is raised as a result of these changes. Although there are more than a hundred varieties of arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most prevalent one that affects the elderly.

• Increased incidences of obesity - According to the WHO, around the globe, 650 million adults, 340 million teenagers, and 39 million children are obese, making up over 1 billion people. It is generally accepted that obesity produces abnormal body mechanics that negatively impact joint function due to the increased stress on the skeletal system.
  
  One of the main risk factors for the onset and progression of osteoarthritis in load-bearing joints, such as the knee but also the hip and ankle, is obesity. Changes in gait and higher joint stress are thought to be the primary biomechanical impacts of obesity on joints. This consequently results in greater strain on the articular cartilage and may also result in increased stress in the synovial fluid, subchondral bone, and ligamentous and capsular structures of the joint. Therefore, the market demand for soft tissue repair is surging.
• Rising prevalence of tendinitis in sports people - As the fibrous tissue that joins muscles to bones, a tendon can become inflamed and develop tendinitis. For instance, sportsmen who execute the same motion repeatedly are at risk of developing tendinitis owing to overuse and repetitive motion. Moreover, there has been growing participation of athletes which is making scope for the growth of the soft tissue repair market.

Challenges

• Unfavorable reimbursement policies - Large sums of money must be invested in the development of new soft tissue repair treatments, and it often takes longer for such products to be approved for sale.
  
  The FDA, for instance, has mandated that soft tissue repair product producers acquire premarket clearance (PMA) before releasing their goods onto the market. The product must provide appropriate clinical trial data in support of this, and this data must be provided with the PMA application. With very little possibility of approval, a product must incur significant costs and take a very long time to reach the clinical trial stage and then complete the trials.

• Lack of skilled staff may hinder the growth of the market
• High price of the treatment may impede the market from growing