A cartilage injury in the knee refers to damage to the articular cartilage which is a soft fibrous tissue that is found lining the undersurface of the knee cap as well as the ends of the three bones that make up the knee- the femur, tibia, and fibula.
Symptoms
- Dull pain in joint that worsens with activity
- Swelling and associated stiffness
- Clicking, locking, or catching if a piece of the cartilage has torn off or frayed
- Grinding in joint
Causes
- General wear and tear
- Sudden impact or injury to knee
- Joint dislocation
- Meniscal tear
- Infection in knee
Risk factors
- Muscle weakness surrounding the knee
- Bones of the leg being out of alignment
- A heavy contact sport
- Overuse in a certain movement
- Older age
- Overweight or obesity
Prevention
- Avoid overuse in one particular movement or plane of movement
- Avoid high impact and collision sports/activities
Diagnosis
- Physician exam
- X-ray to rule out any associated bone injury
- MRI to confirm cartilage damage
Treatment
- Non-surgical treatment
- Rest
- Life-style modification
- Weight-loss
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
- Physical therapy
- Knee arthroscopy to smooth rough edges
- Cartilage transplant from uninjured area of knee
- Knee replacement
