Our Services

Articular Cartilage Damage

Orthopaedics

Cartilage is a flexible, smooth connective tissue that covers the ends of bones within joints. It plays a vital role in reducing friction and absorbing shock during joint movement. Articular Cartilage Damage refers to damage or deterioration of this tissue and is commonly found in the knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle joints. Since cartilage has very limited self-repair ability, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.

Symptoms

Joint pain, especially during weight-bearing or movement
Reduced range of motion or feeling of "locking"
Swelling or fluid buildup in the joint (effusion)
Joint instability or weakness
Clicking or grinding noises during movement

Causes

Sports activities, trauma, work-related injuries, repetitive wear and tear, and avulsion can all damage joint cartilage. The common causes can generally be categorized as follows:

Trauma: Sports injuries, falls, or vehicle accidents
Degeneration: Age-related wear-and-tear often associated with osteoarthritis
Repetitive stress or overuse: From physical labour or intense exercise
Post-meniscal or ligament injury: Secondary cartilage damage
Congenital conditions, Such as hip dysplasia or bone alignment issues

Risk Factors

Aging (cartilage regeneration declines over time)
Athletes or highly active individuals
Obesity (increased joint loading)
History of joint ligament or meniscus injuries
Poor biomechanics or improper footwear

Complications

Osteoarthritis: Progressive cartilage loss leads to bone-on-bone friction
Joint instability or deformity
Chronic pain and mobility restriction
Recurrent joint effusion or synovitis
Bone marrow edema and joint capsule degeneration

Diagnosis

Clinical examination and medical history: Key to understanding the injury mechanism
X-ray: To rule out fractures or bone spurs (cartilage itself not visible)
MRI scan: The gold standard for cartilage assessment, showing soft tissue and bone marrow conditions
Arthroscopy: A minimally invasive procedure to directly visualize and treat cartilage damage

Treatments

There are currently several treatment options for cartilage injuries. Orthopaedic surgeons will determine the treatment plan based on the type and severity of your knee joint injury. It is strongly recommended to seek early treatment, as this can help prevent the damage from spreading to surrounding healthy cartilage and further deterioration of the joint surface.

Surgical Treatments

Arthroscopic Chondroplasty / Debridement
Using arthroscopy, the orthopaedic surgeon identifies and removes the damaged cartilage. This method prevents loose fragments from causing joint irritation and swelling. This "clean-up" procedure of the joint surface is called chondroplasty. While it can provide temporary pain relief, it does not repair cartilage defects.
Marrow Stimulation / Microfracture
In some cases, microfracture surgery under arthroscopy is performed to stimulate bone marrow, inducing the release of the body’s own mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to repair small cartilage defects. Small surgical tools are used to drill or abrade the area beneath the cartilage defect, creating tiny fractures. Blood and marrow (containing stem cells) seep from these microfractures and form a clot that helps in cartilage regeneration. This can be highly effective in relieving symptoms in certain patients.
Osteochondral Autograft Transfer (OAT)
In this procedure, the surgeon harvests healthy cartilage and the underlying bone from a non-weight-bearing area of the patient’s own joint and transplants it into the damaged area. This technique is suitable for defects no larger than 2.5 cm² (roughly the size of a thumbnail).
Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI)
This method involves harvesting a small amount of healthy cartilage tissue from the patient, isolating the patient’s own chondrocytes (cartilage cells), and cultivating them in a lab over several weeks. Once sufficient cells are obtained, they are implanted into the cartilage defect. Since the patient’s own cells are used (autologous cells), there is no risk of rejection. This technique can treat small to large defects. MACI is an enhanced version of ACI.
Allograft (Donor Cartilage Transplantation)
For large bone and cartilage defects, fresh donor cartilage and bone from cadavers may be used. The benefit of this approach is that the graft can contain both mature cartilage and bone for repair, but it carries risks such as infection and graft rejection.
Artificial Joint Replacement (for severe degeneration)

Non-Surgical Treatments

Rest and Load Reduction
Physiotherapy: To strengthen muscles, improve gait, and enhance joint stability
Pain Relievers and Anti-inflammatory Medications: Such as NSAIDs
Hyaluronic Acid Injections: To improve joint lubrication
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: An advanced regenerative treatment commonly used in orthopaedics. It involves drawing the patient’s own blood, processing it to concentrate the platelets, and injecting it into injured or degenerative areas to promote healing and tissue repair.

FAQ

Cartilage has poor blood supply and limited self-healing ability. Most injuries will not fully recover without treatment.

Yes, particularly in athletes or those experiencing repetitive joint trauma.

Not always. Mild damage may respond to conservative treatments. Surgery is considered when symptoms are severe or joint function is impaired.

Maintain healthy weight, avoid overuse, warm up properly before exercise, and wear supportive footwear.

Related Doctors

Dr Wilson LI

Specialist in Orthopaedics & Traumatology

HEAL Medical (Central)

HEAL Medical (Tsim Sha Tsui)

Dr LAW Ying Kan, George

Specialist in Orthopaedics & Traumatology

HEAL Medical (Central)

Related Services

Bone Cancer

Clinical OncologyOrthopaedics

Bone cancer can be divided into primary and metastatic, which refers to cancer that has spread from other parts of the body to the bone tissue. The majority of cases fall under metastatic bone cancer. As for primary bone cancer, it originates in the bone cells and is relatively rare.

Detail

Chronic Pain

General PracticeOrthopaedicsTraditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Chronic pain is persistent pain that lasts for more than 3-6 months and can cause significant physical and emotional distress, even after the underlying injury or medical condition has healed.

Detail

Sports Medicine

Orthopaedics

Detail

Here When You Need Us

HEAL Medical (Central)

A multi-specialty centre providing premium outpatient services for primary and specialist care.

1331, 13th Floor, Central Building, 1-3 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong

+852 3565 2868

Mon - Fri 8:30am - 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holidays Closed

https://www.heal-medical.com/

Contact now

HEAL Medical (Tsim Sha Tsui)

Providing comprehensive and high-quality specialist medical services to patients.

Unit. 1908-09, 19/F, Mira Place Tower A, 132 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

+852 3700 6813

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holidays Closed

https://www.heal-medical.com/

Contact now

HEAL Oncology

A boutique oncology centre providing comprehensive day procedure care.

16/F, Entertainment Building, 30 Queens Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

+852 3598 9090

Mon - Fri 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holidays Closed

https://heal-oncology.com/

Contact now