What Is Cartilage And How Is It Damaged?
What Is Cartilage And How Is It Damaged?
Cartilage (hyaline cartilage or articular cartilage) is a 3-5 mm thin tissue that covers the bony surfaces inside our joints. It provides a very low friction articulation that ideally lasts a lifetime.
Cartilage can be damaged acutely through accidents, such as during an ACL tear or patellar (knee-cap) dislocation. Cartilage can also break down slowly over time, eventually leading to osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear, rather than inflammatory arthritis).
Often, cartilage damage starts as a small “pothole,” which then enlarges over time. Eventually, most or all cartilage is worn away, resulting in “bone-on-bone” arthritis. Ideally, cartilage damage is discovered in the early stages, when it can be treated with cartilage repair for younger and more active patients. More advanced damage, especially that in older and more sedentary patients, is generally treated with joint replacement.