Dr. Albert Franchi, MD

Orthopedic Medicine Physician | Prolotherapy Specialist | Boston, MA
Dr. Albert Franchi is a board-certified orthopedic medicine physician based in Stoneham, Massachusetts, with more than 40 years of experience treating musculoskeletal injuries and chronic joint pain.

He has specialized exclusively in prolotherapy — a regenerative injection technique for ligament and tendon repair — for over 20 years, making him one of the most experienced prolotherapy practitioners in New England.

Training and credentials

Dr. Franchi earned his medical degree (MD) from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara and completed his residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He went on to practice orthopedic medicine with a focus on non-surgical treatment of joint instability, torn ligaments, and chronic pain conditions. He holds active medical licensure in Massachusetts and has practiced at his Stoneham clinic, Boston Prolotherapy and Orthopedics, for over two decades.

For the past 25 years, Dr. Franchi has served as Team Physician for Bentley University, providing orthopedic care to collegiate athletes across all sports programs. This role has deepened his expertise in sports-related soft tissue injuries — rotator cuff tears, hamstring strains, plantar fasciitis, groin instability, and ligament damage — precisely the conditions that respond best to prolotherapy.

What Dr. Franchi specializes in

Dr. Franchi treats patients who have been told they need surgery, who have had cortisone injections with diminishing returns, or who are living with chronic pain that conventional medicine has not resolved. His clinical focus includes:

  • Knee pain, including ligament tears, joint instability, and osteoarthritis
  • Shoulder instability, rotator cuff tears, AC separations, and chronic dislocations
  • Hip pain and sacroiliac joint instability
  • Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon injuries, and unstable ankles
  • Tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, and bicep tendon instability
  • Lower back pain from sacroiliac instability and interspinous ligament laxity
  • Hypermobility syndrome, including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
  • Groin strains and pubic instability in athletes
  • Osteoarthritis in weight-bearing joints

Prolotherapy is not effective for every condition

Dr. Franchi believes in honest assessments. Prolotherapy does not treat herniated disks, spinal stenosis, carpal or tarsal tunnel syndrome, Morton's neuroma, or fibromyalgia. It is also not appropriate for most torn meniscus injuries unless the tear is at the periphery. If prolotherapy is not the right treatment for your situation, Dr. Franchi will tell you so — and refer you to the physician best suited to help.

Welcome!

Dr. Franchi’s Experience with Patients

Experience in prolotherapy

Prolotherapy requires precision: the physician must identify the exact ligament or tendon origin causing instability, then inject a proliferant solution — a combination of 50% dextrose and 2% lidocaine — at the correct insertion point to stimulate repair. This is a skill that develops over thousands of patient encounters. Dr. Franchi does not use the multiple-injection technique common among other practitioners; his approach uses fewer, more precisely placed injections that are less painful and equally effective.

"Experience matters enormously in prolotherapy," Dr. Franchi explains. "Knowing exactly where to inject — and how many treatments a patient needs — comes from years of doing this work."

Community involvement

Dr. Franchi is the title sponsor of the Boston Dragons, the U.S. Legends Senior Pro Pickleball team, reflecting his commitment to keeping active adults moving and pain-free.

Patients heard Dr. Franchi on:

  • WBZ News Radio 1030 AM
  • WEEI 93.7 FM (Teddy Johnson)
  • 98.5 FM The Sports Hub

Schedule a complimentary phone consultation

Dr. Franchi personally advises prospective patients on whether prolotherapy is appropriate for their condition. Call 833-Go-Prolo (833-467-7656) or 781-299-7521, or fill out the contact form on this page.

92 Montvale Avenue, Suite 4650, Stoneham, MA 02180 Wednesday and Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Free parking

  • Freedom from joint pain without surgery!

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    • Complimentary Phone Consults Available

  • Download New Patient Form

  • Radio Spots

    • “Prolotherapy changed my life!”
    - Dan Rea, WBZ