Introduction

Cartilage damage is a relatively common type of injury. It often involves the knees, although joints such as the hips, ankles and elbows can also be affected. Cartilage is a tough, flexible tissuefound throughout the body. It covers the surface of joints, acting as a shock absorber and allowing bones to slide over one another. It can become damaged as a result of a sudden injury, such asa Sports injuries ,or gradual wear and tear ( osteoarthritis ). Minor cartilage injuries may get better ontheir own within a few weeks, but more severecartilage damage may eventually require surgery. This page covers: Symptoms When to get medical advice Treatments Symptoms of cartilage damage Symptoms of cartilage damage in a joint include: joint pain this may continue even when resting and worsen when you put weight on the joint swelling this may not develop for a few hours or days stiffness a clicking or grinding sensation the joint locking, catching or giving way It can sometimes be difficult to tell a cartilage injury apart from other common joint injuries, such as sprains , as the symptoms are similar. When to get medical advice Ifyou've injured your joint, it's a good idea to try self-care measures first. Sprains and minor cartilage damage may get better on their own within a few days or weeks. More severe cartilage damage probably won't improve on its own and if left untreated, can eventually wear down the joint. Visit your GP or a minor injuries unit (MIU) if: you can't move the joint properly you can't control the pain with ordinary painkillers you can't put any weight on the injured limb or it gives way when you try to use it the injured area looks crooked or has unusual lumps or bumps (other than swelling) you have numbness, discolouration or coldness in any part of the injured area your symptoms haven't started to improve within a few days of self-treatment Your GP may need to refer you for tests such as an X-ray , magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or arthroscopy (atype of keyhole surgery used tolook inside joints) to find out if your cartilage is damaged. Treatments for cartilage damage Self-care measures are usually recommended as the first treatment for minor joint injuries. For the first few days: protect the affected area from further injury by using a support, such as a knee brace rest the affected joint elevate the affected limb and apply an ice pack to the joint regularly take ordinary painkillers, such as paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) Get medical advice if your symptoms are severe or don't improve after a few days. You may needprofessional treatment such as physiotherapy ,or possibly surgery. A number of surgical techniques can be used, including: encouraging the growth of new cartilageby drilling small holes in the nearby bone replacing thedamaged cartilage with healthy cartilage taken fromanother part of the joint replacing the entire joint with an artificial one, such as a knee replacement or hip replacement this is usually only necessary in the most severe cases