Melbourne researchers have pioneered a new stem cell treatment that could replace surgery for problematic joints.

Doctors claim to have halted damage caused by degenerative conditions and even reversed it.

The therapy involves a liposuction procedure to take and separate stem cells from a patient's fat, then storing, duplicating and testing those cells.

The cells are then injected into the damaged joint - usually knees, but also possible with hips, shoulders or ankles.

Medical expert Dr Ric Gordon told the TODAY Show there was a way to put basic stem cells back into the body and teach them to fix defective tissue.

"They’ve found that the cartilage that has been destroyed from injury has started to regenerate by using stem cells," Dr Gordon said.

A new trial is hoping to replace the need for joint replacement surgery. (9NEWS)

Dr Gordon said the research had not been validated because it hadn’t been published in medical journals but he believed researchers were "onto a winner".

"The research shows they were able to reduce the pain and increase the function of the knee joints in 70 patients."

Personal trainer and polieceman David Hutchinson was facing his second knee replacement three months ago.

"It was making life impossible," he said.

"Really just getting around day-to-day was hard enough, let alone working in any capacity."

Since his first injection using the therapy in December, Mr Hutchinson said he has already noticed a 50 percent improvement in mobility.

Two thirds of patients in the trial reported at least 50 percent pain relief nine months after the initial injection.

The centre is hoping to recruit more patients for its trial, but it also offers the treament privately at a cost of $8000 to $10,000 for the liposuction and two injections.