Articular cartilage injuries
Encyclopedia
Cartilage
Cartilage
Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs...

 structures and functions can relatively easily be harmed, often resulting in damage. Such damage can result from a variety of causes, resulting from a bad fall or sport-accident (traumatic), previous knee injuries (post-traumatic) or wear and tear over time. Immobilization for long periods can also result in cartilage damage.

Articular cartilage damage might be found on its own but it will more often be found in conjunction with injuries to ligaments and menisci
Meniscus (anatomy)
In anatomy, a meniscus is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that, in contrast to articular disks, only partly divides a joint cavity. In humans it is present in the knee, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints; in other organisms they may be present in other...

. People with previous repairs to ligaments and or menisci often face more chances to articular cartilage damage due to alterned mechanics of the joint
Joint
A joint is the location at which two or more bones make contact. They are constructed to allow movement and provide mechanical support, and are classified structurally and functionally.-Classification:...

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Repairing articular cartilage damage

Though articular cartilage damage is not life threatening, it does strongly affect the quality of life. Articular cartilage damage is often the cause of severe pain, swellings, strong barriers to mobility and severe restrictions to the patient's activities. Over the last decades, however, surgeons and biotech ventures have elaborated promising procedures that contribute to articular cartilage repair
Articular cartilage repair
The aim of an articular cartilage repair treatment is to restore the surface of an articular joint's hyaline cartilage. Over the last decades, surgeons and researchers have been working hard to elaborate surgical cartilage repair interventions...

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