Chondral Injuries

Chondral injuries are conditions that affect the cartilage of the joints. Cartilage is a specialized type of tissue that covers the ends of the bone in joints that make contact with each other. In the knee joint, cartilage covers the surfaces of the end of the femur (the upper leg bone) and the tibia (the lower leg bone). It functions as a shock absorber by cushioning and reducing the amount of friction between the bones, resulting in smooth flexion and extension of the knee.

While they can affect almost any joint in the body, chondral injuries are most common in the knee joint due to the day to day stress on the cartilage of the knee joint and while participating in sports.

Because cartilage has a poor blood supply, it cannot heal after damage like other tissues of the body. If the cartilage becomes damaged, it lacks the ability to regenerate new cartilage tissue. When cartilage is damaged, it can often be trimmed or removed but not replaced. Chondral damage is commonly associated with sports injuries such as ACL and MCL injuries. Patients with chondral defects often complain of pain, swelling, stiffness and reduced range of motion. In cases where the cartilage has torn away from the bone, minor folds may develop, resulting in the knee joint locking.

Since chondral injuries seldom appear on x-rays, one of the best ways to diagnose problems is to undergo an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). MRI’s can usually detect defects in the cartilage without invasive procedures such as surgery.

If your physician indicates that surgery is necessary to correct the problem, he or she will often recommend arthroscopic surgery. During arthroscopic surgery, the surgeon can look at the damaged tissue and determine the best course of treatment. Loose edges and minor repairs to the cartilage can be performed via arthroscopic surgery, resulting in faster recovery and healing. Other newer ways to treat chondral injuries include microfracture, autologous cartilage implantation (ACI) and matrix-induced autologous chondryte implantation (MACI).

For patients with chondral injuries, Physical Therapy is essential to achieving a full recovery and can guide your rehabilitation to assure you return to 100% as quickly and safely as possible. Initial therapy will focus on decreasing pain and swelling while at the same time increasing range of motion. In later stages the focus of therapy will turn toward resuming neuromuscular control, strength, balance, and proprioception. The final phases of rehabilitation are focused on resuming normal activity and sports as quickly and safely as possible

For more information regarding arthofibrosis email info@proaxistherapy.com. To make an appointment for therapy, please call Proaxis Therapy at (864) 454-0904.