Home Injuries Cartilage Injuries and Disorders

Cartilage Injuries and Disorders

Cartilage Injuries and Disorders

Description Of The Injury: The cartilage located on either side of the knee joint help in common functions of the knee joint and acts as a safe barrier between the femur and tibia bone. When there is a defect of the cartilage through a disorder or through an injury that tears the cartilage, the loss of cartilage can lead to debilitating pain, stiffness and swelling. If the cartilage degenerates for a long period of time knee osteoarthritis may develop.

Injury Symptoms: Cartilage injury of the knee will be accompanied by pain and swelling on the sides of the knee. The knee may feel unstable and may not be able to support any weight. Bleeding may be present, or the skin may be tender and red.

Additional Information

Home Treatments:

Cartilage damage to the knee may be successfully treated conservatively if the damage is minor. To do so, the knee should be rested for several weeks. Ice should be applied on the injured area 20 minutes at a time, 4-8 times per day for the first three days. The knee should be immobilized in a straight position as much as possible. Non steroidal anti inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or Tylenol will greatly help reduce the pain and inflammation to enhance recovery.

Professional Medical Treatments:

Most cartilage damage and degeneration of the cartilage will involve some sort of knee arthroscopy. There are several types of procedures: lavage and debridement - removing any damaged cartilage flags; ostechondral grafting - using different tissues from other areas to substitute for the damaged cartilage; Osteochodral auto and allo grafts which involve using the patient's own cartilage or a deceased donor's cartilage.

Physical Therapy and Exercises:

Rehabilitation of cartilage injury and degenerative disorders will be needed to maintain some form of functional mobility. This may initially involve passive contraction and range of motion exercises manually with the help of a physical therapist. Water aerobics may also be initially used to reduce the weight bearing impact. Common stretches and exercises such as the straight leg raise, bent leg raise, bridges, calf raise, quad stretch and hamstring stretch will be used to recover full range of motion before attempting activities such as walking.

Exercise Techniques to Prevent Injury:

Preventing cartilage damage initially begins by refraining from doing powerful twisting motions while keeping the feet planted. Additionally, keeping the tendons and muscles of entire leg will reduce the risk of injury. Stretches, like the aforementioned ones in the physical therapy subsection should be held for 10 seconds, and done twice a day. watch chaturbate records