What is an articular cartilage injury?
An articular cartilage injury occurs when there is damage to the joint surface. Injuries to the cartilage can be partial thickness (part of the way down to bone) or full-thickness (all the way down to bone). The problem with articular cartilage injuries is that they have very limited ability to heal.

How is the articular cartilage injured?
Cartilage injuries can occur from trauma, such a football tackle or twisting injury, or gradually over time. In addition, there are certain diseases, such as osteochondritis dessicans, which causes damage to an area of cartilage and bone in the knee without a definite cause. When there is significant loss of the articular cartilage, the knee is considered to have “arthritis”.

How do I know my articular cartilage is injured?
Injuries to the articular cartilage most typically cause pain in the knee in the area of the damage. In addition, patients can get swelling, locking, or buckling of the knee. In some cases, it can be difficult to know for sure if cartilage damage is the reason for knee pain.

Do I need x-rays, MRI’s or any other test?
A set of x-rays is usually ordered to evaluate the bones and cartilage around the knee. The x-rays are primarily used to evaluate for arthritis and severity of the articular cartilage injury of the knee joint. If the damage is small, the x-rays may appear normal. A MRI may be ordered to look for damage to the articular cartilage and rule out any other injuries to the knee. In some cases, the damage cannot be seen on the MRI, even though it is present.

Is there other damage to the knee when the articular cartilage is injured?
There is frequently other damage to the knee in cases of articular cartilage damage, which occur at the time of the injury. These include ligament tears or tears of the meniscus. If surgery is needed, all of the injuries will be addressed at the time of surgery.

• Patient Guide to Articular Cartilage Injury (1.1Mb)

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