Articular Cartilage Injury

What is articular cartilage injury? Articular cartilage injury is damage to articular or hyaline cartilage in the knee. Hyaline cartilage is a hard, smooth cartilage that covers the ends of bones. Its function is to protect the ends of the bones and allow for smooth movement of the joint. How is it injured? Damage can occur to the articular cartilage on its own as an isolated condition, or inconjunction with other injuries such as knee ligament injuries (anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate), meniscus injuries (medial and lateral), or with dislocation of the patella. Damage can vary from obvious defects in the bone to very minor microscopic damage which will appear normal when looked at with an arthroscopy (operation that looks into the joint) - but is soft when poked. If the athlete has had a cartilage meniscus removed in the past then they will be at higher risk of damage to articular cartilage. Common sites in the knee for damage to occur include the back of the kneecap, the grove between the condyles of the femur (thigh bone) and the lateral condyle of the femur. What are the symptoms? Recurrent pain and swelling in the knee joint. Long term development of arthritis. What can a professional do? A surgeon will most likely operate. Perform an arthroscopy to look into the knee joint and confirm the diagnosis. What can the athlete do? See a sports injury professional for advice.   The information contained on this site is purely a source of information and can at no time replace the expert eye of a qualified professional. We recommend seeking professional advice before embarking on any form of self treatment. Neither the content or nor any other service provided through mybesttennis.com is intended to be relied on for medical diagnosis or treatment. Never delay in seeking professional advice because of something seen on mybesttennis.com.