Cartilage Damage Specialist

What is cartilage?

In the most basic of terms, your joints are where two or more bones meet in order to provide movement and range of motion. This movement is facilitated by your articular cartilage, which is a white rubber-like tissue that covers the ends of your bones, allowing them to glide smoothly within the joint.

How does cartilage break down?

Your cartilage is designed for a lifetime of use, but age and simple wear and tear can break the tissue down, allowing your bones to rub together painfully. This condition is called chondromalacia and can affect any articulating joint in your body, though some joints, such as your knees, are far more prone to developing this condition.

If you’re active, the repeated stresses on your joints make you especially prone to cartilage damage, but the condition can occur in anyone.

In the beginning stages of cartilage damage, your tissue becomes soft, which leaves it vulnerable to tearing and deterioration. This creates inflammation as your body tries to protect the area, which can seriously hamper your joint, limiting your movements. Eventually, cartilage damage leads to full-blown arthritis.

What are the treatments for cartilage damage?

During your initial consultation with at Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center, your doctor reviews your symptoms and turns to advanced imaging to pinpoint the location and extent of the damage. The practice is equipped with an on-site imaging center, so you can rest assured that your doctor is able to thoroughly diagnose your cartilage problem.

With the cause identified, your doctor recommends a treatment plan that remedies your pain and restores your movement, keeping your goals in mind. Typically, the orthopedists try nonsurgical solutions to start, such as:

• Rest
• Anti-inflammatories
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections

If your problem persists, the doctors are all highly-trained orthopedic surgeons, and they use the latest arthroscopic techniques to perform the following:

• Arthroscopic knee surgery
• Arthroscopic elbow and shoulder repair
• Hip surgery
• Total or partial joint replacement

Because your cartilage is very slow to regenerate on its own, your doctor may turn to regenerative medicine, such as platelet-rich plasma and stem cell therapies, to stimulate new soft tissue growth. Your doctor also uses these therapies in conjunction with surgery to speed up healing.

If your cartilage is breaking down and causing you pain, call Restore Orthopedics and Spine Center or use the online scheduling tool to request an appointment.