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What is an articular cartilage defect?

Author

William Jenkins

Published Mar 20, 2026

What is an articular cartilage defect?

A chondral defect refers to a focal area of damage to the articular cartilage (the cartilage that lines the end of the bones). An osteochondral defect refers to a focal area of damage that involves both the cartilage and a piece of underlying bone.

Consequently, what happens when articular cartilage is damaged?

Once damaged, articular cartilage will not heal on its own. And over time, the cartilage breaks down and the underlying bone reacts. As the bone stiffens and develops bone spurs (osteophytes), the joints become inflamed and swollen, which damages the cartilage even more, leading to pain, swelling or loss of motion.

Furthermore, can articular cartilage be repaired? Articular cartilage cannot be repaired directly but we can undertake various procedures that can help it to heal and repair itself. The simplest procedures involve inspecting the cartilage arthroscopically and removing loose fragments or smoothing down rough surfaces.

Subsequently, one may also ask, what causes articular cartilage damage?

Articular cartilage injuries can occur as a result of either traumatic or progressive degeneration (wear and tear). With mechanical destruction, a direct blow or other trauma can injure the articular cartilage.

How is articular cartilage damage treated?

Those options include arthroscopic surgery using techniques to remove damaged cartilage and increase blood flow from the underlying bone (e.g. drilling, pick procedure). For smaller articular cartilage defects which are asymptomatic, surgery may not be required.

How long does it take to heal articular cartilage damage?

The initial recovery may include an extended period of touch down or non-weight bearing with crutches, as well as the use of a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine. Full recovery from a microfracture technique typically takes at least 6-12 months.

How common is articular cartilage damage?

Articular cartilage defects of the knee are frequently observed. Curl and coworkers described 53,569 hyaline cartilage lesions in 19,827 patients undergoing knee arthroscopy. Similarly, a recent prospective survey of 993 consecutive knee arthroscopies demonstrated evidence of articular cartilage pathology in 66%.

Can you run with articular cartilage damage?

If your meniscal cartilages are torn or missing, then you've lost your shock absorbers, and you're simply no longer suited to running. If your articular cartilage is wearing thin or if it's worn away down to bare bone, and if you then run, you're simply going to cause more damage.

How do you heal cartilage damage naturally?

Foods that Help Rebuild Cartilage
  1. Legumes. For optimal joint function, it is important to beat inflammation wherever possible—inflammation is the primary source of collagen and, by extension, cartilage breakdown.
  2. Oranges.
  3. Pomegranates.
  4. Green Tea.
  5. Brown Rice.
  6. Nuts.
  7. Brussel Sprouts.

How do you know you have cartilage damage?

Symptoms of cartilage damage in a joint include:
  1. joint pain – this may continue even when resting and worsen when you put weight on the joint.
  2. swelling – this may not develop for a few hours or days.
  3. stiffness.
  4. a clicking or grinding sensation.
  5. the joint locking, catching, or giving way.

Can knee cartilage regrow?

As you recover from surgery, the cartilage cells regenerate, forming new tissue to replace worn-out cartilage. “Healthy cartilage helps cushion the bones in your knee and give you better movement, but when it erodes, it causes pain which can be severe,†Wang says.

Can you walk with torn knee cartilage?

A torn meniscus usually produces well-localized pain in the knee. The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.

What is the treatment for cartilage damage in the knee?

Cartilage damage is repaired using arthroscopic (or keyhole) surgery, which means minimal impact on healthy parts of your knee, less scarring and quicker recovery times. The cartilage may be removed, trimmed or smoothed down using special tools.

Is cartilage damage the same as arthritis?

Cartilage damage is a key feature of degenerative joint disorders-primarily osteoarthritis (OA)-and chronic inflammatory joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Is walking good for bad knees?

Walking is a low-impact activity that doesn't put too much stress on your knees and can help strengthen the muscles in that area.

Does cartilage show up on xray?

Yes, you can see cartilage with X-rays; diffraction enhanced X-ray imaging for soft and hard tissues.

How can you prevent cartilage damage?

Can you prevent OA?
  1. Keep a healthy body weight. Extra weight puts stress on your joints.
  2. Control your blood sugar. High blood sugar levels raise your risk of getting OA.
  3. Be active every day. Exercise is a good way to prevent joint problems.
  4. Prevent injury to your joints.
  5. Pay attention to pain.

Can cartilage be repaired without surgery?

While cartilage does not regrow or replace itself, it can be repaired or supplanted by a few different treatment options. Many cartilage injuries can be treated without surgery, via physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication. This is especially true if you have a sedentary to moderately active lifestyle.

Can joint cartilage regrow?

Although articular cartilage is not capable of regrowing or healing itself, the bone tissue underneath it can. By making small cuts and abrasions to the bone underneath the area of damaged cartilage, doctors stimulate new growth.

What is the best vitamin for cartilage?

Glucosamine helps keep the cartilage in joints healthy and may have an anti-inflammatory effect. Natural glucosamine levels drop as people age.

How much does cartilage surgery cost?

The most common knee surgery performed on people over 65 is repair of torn meniscus cartilage. The procedure is costly, at up to $10,000 a patient — and it's also usually a waste, if not outright harmful.

Why is it difficult to repair cartilage?

Each zone possesses attributes necessary to make articular cartilage as a whole strong, durable, and more able to withstand shear and axial forces through a joint. Cartilage metabolism is relatively slow in comparison with other tissues; hence, it is much more difficult for defects in cartilage to heal spontaneously.

Does cartilage damage show on MRI?

MRI scanning is very good at showing soft tissues, but is poorer at showing bone. It is commonly used to diagnose meniscal injuries, ligament injuries, articular cartilage damage, bone tumours, soft tissue tumours and can also show up other intra-articular abnormalities.

Does knee cartilage damage require surgery?

Severe cartilage damage does not tend to heal very well on its own, so surgery is often necessary in these cases. Surgery is usually performed using arthroscopy – a type of keyhole surgery where instruments are inserted into the joint through small cuts (incisions) – although sometimes larger incisions need to be made.

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