Articular Cartilage

The science of cartilage repair for joints is in full swing. There is a frenzy of activity around stem cells, growth factors, exosomes (small packets of growth factors), and all forms of stimulation therapies. And the matrices or patches that those factors are placed on vary widely. The bottom line is that no one factor does it all. Here is the latest update on what needs to go into the chicken soup of tissue repair to make you well.

You watch the ball. I watch the knees. Here is what I see:

Arthritis is preventable. Yet until recently most people thought it was inevitable. Here are some examples of how to best treat your injured knee.

Though usually self-healing in the young, a tongue-twisting condition called Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) can mean more serious trouble for adolescents. Advances in knee surgery may move this injury, like many others, into the “curable” realm.

Stem cell-based therapies, in which the body’s own cells are stimulated to contribute to the repair process, are enormously promising in all areas of medicine, including articular cartilage regeneration. Yet our understanding of stem cells continues to evolve.

Microfracture is a surgical technique used to repair damaged articular cartilage by making multiple small holes in the surface of the joint to stimulate a healing response. Unfortunately, it's prone to failure. Here's why.

"Doc, does running hurt my knee?" The answer is no. Injury hurts your knee. If you're a runner, or if you're considering taking up running, here are some insights to help you protect your knees.

You are told you have knee arthritis. The advice the doctor gives you is to go home, rest your knee, take anti-inflammatory drugs, lose some weight, wait until you are older and then get an artificial knee replacement. This advice is awful. Here's why.

Traditionally, conservative care meant non-operative care. However, these days, conservative care often means that the insurance company has only authorized physical therapy or medications. This is not necessarily in your best interest.

We like to do everything possible to rebuild the knee joint with biologic tissues rather than artificial materials to help delay the time in which an artificial joint replacement is necessary.