Knee (Articular) Cartilage Damage: Causes & Treatment

What is cartilage?

The cartilage is a connective rubbery tissue that acts as a cushion between the bones of joints. It is easily damaged and, because it does not contain blood vessels or nerves, it takes much longer to heal than normal tissue.

When cartilage in a joint, known as articular cartilage, is damaged, it can cause severe pain, inflammation and some degree of disability. This type of cartilage damage occurs most commonly in the knee. But the elbow, wrist, ankle, shoulder and hip joint can also be affected.

What causes knee cartilage damage?

Damage to the knee cartilage can occur as a result of trauma, such as an accident, or through progressive degeneration, sometimes called wear and tear.

Certain activities are also more likely to cause articular cartilage damage. These include:

High-impact sports injuries

A direct blow to the joint can ทางเข้า UFABET สำหรับสมาชิกใหม่ สมัครวันนี้ รับโบนัสฟรี cause cartilage damage. This is very common in people who are active in high-impact sports.

Inactivity

Conversely, inactivity can result in cartilage damage too, particularly for ‘weekend warriors’ who participate in sports only at the weekend and are therefore more prone to injury from the sudden burst of intense activity. Your joints need to move regularly to remain healthy. If you go through long periods of inactivity, you increase the risk of damage to the cartilage.

Obesity and long-term stress on joints

Long periods of stress on your joints can also result in cartilage damage. This is especially so in load-bearing joints like the knee joints if you are overweight or obese. This prolonged stress can eventually lead to loss of cartilage in the joints, known as osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of knee cartilage damage

If you have damaged knee cartilage, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Joint pain even while resting, that increases when weight is put on the joint
• Swelling around the knee
• Stiffness in the knee
• A clicking or grinding sensation during movement
• Sensation of the knee joint locking, catching, or giving way