Physiotherapy is recommended for the management of knee osteoarthritis. In the case of traumatic articular cartilage injuries, often the opinion of a knee surgeon is required. If surgery is needed, physiotherapy is very important post-operatively to help you fully rehabilitate and return to activity safely.
Treatments for cartilage damage
rest the affected joint. elevate the affected limb and apply an ice pack to the joint regularly. take ordinary painkillers, such as paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.
“Cartilage has practically zero regenerative potential in adulthood, so once it's injured or gone, what we can do for patients has been very limited,” said assistant professor of surgery Charles K.F. Chan, PhD.
Stretch as often as possible. A simple stretch can help prevent stiffness in your joints and lubricate and nourish the cartilage with synovial fluid. Stretch exercises like yoga and pilates can help alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis and also strengthen your muscles to prevent further joint injury.
Dietary supplements: Dietary supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin are the non-surgical treatment options for cartilage restoration. Chrondroitin sulphate and glucosamine are naturally occurring substances in the body that prevent degradation of cartilage and promote formation of new cartilage.
Glucosamine (G) 1,500 to 2,000 mg/d and chondroitin sulfate (Cs) 800 to 1,200 mg/d and avocado-soy unsaponifiables (ASU) 300 to 600 mg/d, taken together or alone, are useful as adjunct therapies in cartilage disorders. Each is sold as prescription, over the counter (OTC), or as supplements, depending upon the country.
Cartilage Regeneration Options
It involves a biopsy to harvest chondrocytes (cartilage-forming cells), which are allowed to multiply in a lab, and surgery to implant them into the damaged area. Our experts use a small-punch biopsy method for cell collection, rather than a more invasive arthroscopic procedure.
How long does it take for knee cartilage to heal? Knee cartilage can take anywhere from six weeks to three months (for simple meniscus injuries) or 9-18 months for articular cartilage injuries to heal.
Cartilage has a poor capacity to repair itself. As a result, surgery may be necessary for individuals who present with joint (knee, ankle, hip, elbow) dysfunction associated with a painful cartilage or chondral lesion. Successful cartilage repair surgery reduces pain and restores function.
After cartilage injury there must be a six-week period of non-weight bearing, but full recovery can take up to a year to fully heal and regain the full range of movement.
Torn cartilage can get caught between the structures of your knee, resulting in pain, swelling and sometimes a locking or catching sensation. You may also experience a feeling of instability and weakness.
Non-surgical Treatments
Your doctor may prescribe rest, ice, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or physical therapy to get your joints back in working order. These steps are very effective for many patients, and have the benefit of requiring less recovery time than surgical cartilage injury treatments.
Cartilage, like bone, is surrounded by a perichondrium-like fibrous membrane. This layer is not efficient at regenerating cartilage. Hence, its recovery is slow after injury. The lack of active blood flow is the major reason any injury to cartilage takes a long time to heal.
Strength and mobility exercises are among the most important things people with osteoarthritis can do for their knees. These exercises can relieve pain, strengthen the joints, and improve joint function. There's no need to worry about damaging your joints if you do the right kind of exercises.
If a fragment of cartilage is damaged or breaks away, it can cause: Pain, swelling and stiffness in the knee. A sensation of grinding or clicking in the joint when it moves. Difficulty carrying out everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, bending, squatting and kneeling.
Studies on vitamin C have found that it can stimulate the production of collagen and proteoglycan (both of which are important parts of joint cartilage) and can protect against the breakdown of cartilage in animal studies.
In fact, studies conducted over the past decade have shown that exercise does benefit your joints, helping to build both healthy cartilage and muscular support around the joints, keeping them stronger for longer.
Overuse injuries. This type of injury is one that gets worse over time and results in damage to the cartilage and surrounding ligaments or tendons. This is a common occurrence in sports, as there are repetitive motions. If your technique is wrong, or you're training too much, you're at risk for an overuse injury.
Collagen stimulates cartilage growth
Collagen provides support for the growth and repair of cartilage tissue, as well as relieve joint inflammation and pain.
Glucosamine also hinders hyaluronidase, the tissue-damaging enzyme, and helps to rebuild the damaged articular cartilage. In addition, glucosamine sulfate improves the lubricant properties of synovial fluid.
Legumes are high in protein, which is why they help replenish the collagen our body needs to rebuild the cartilage in our knees. Not only are they high in protein, but they also have amino acids and lysines, both of which are essential when trying to rebuild knee cartilage naturally.
Results. MRI and histological evaluation both identified large areas of overall cartilage loss. The median (IQR) surface area of any cartilage loss on MRI was 98% (82–100%), and on histological assessment 96% (87–98%). However, MRI underestimated the extent of full-thickness cartilage loss.
If left untreated, articular cartilage injuries can lead to the development of osteoarthritis, a condition in which the articular cartilage wears away, exposing the underlying bone. Joint replacement surgery may be required to treat osteoarthritis.
No matter the cause, cartilage damage is challenging, because cartilage doesn't have its own blood supply. Therefore, it can't heal itself. Once cartilage is damaged, without treatment the damage stays the same or gets larger over time.