Articular cartilage is a tissue that covers the surface of bones, with a smooth and elastic surface that can reduce friction between adjacent bone surfaces within the joint and buffer the vibrations generated by motion. Due to the lack of direct blood supply and lymphatic circulation, articular cartilage mainly receives nutrients from the surrounding synovial fluid. Therefore, once damaged, it is extremely difficult to self repair, and over time, the scope of cartilage damage will become larger and larger. If the protection of cartilage is lost, direct friction and collision between the bones within the joint can occur, leading to joint pain, swelling, limited mobility, deformities, and in severe cases, limb disability. Therefore, preventing and treating joint cartilage damage is very important.
What kind of situation can cause joint cartilage damage
Injury to articular cartilage can be caused by acute trauma or chronic degeneration.
Acute articular cartilage injury is mostly seen in young and middle-aged people. It is caused by acute, repeated external forces and joint torsion. It often occurs in the knee and ankle joints, and can be caused by traffic accidents, falls, Sports injury, etc. In addition, joint cartilage damage is also related to lower limb force line misalignment, joint instability, insufficient muscle strength, and genetic factors.
Chronic degeneration is a decrease in joint synovial fluid secretion with age, combined with cartilage damage caused by chronic wear and tear. For example, Osteoarthritis is a common Degenerative disease among middle-aged and elderly people, and the cartilage in the joints of Osteoarthritis patients will gradually be eroded over time.
How to determine joint cartilage injury
There are generally two methods to determine whether there is damage to the articular cartilage: self testing and magnetic resonance imaging.
Self testing indicates that in most cases, joint swelling and unclear pain may occur after cartilage injury, with pain often manifested as soreness and swelling, and joint activity will gradually be limited. If there are free bodies in the joint cavity, sometimes it can cause joint interlocking (i.e., the patient suddenly experiences situations where the joint cannot be straightened or bent during movement). If these phenomena persist for several weeks without any signs of self relief, and the symptoms become increasingly severe, it is necessary to seek timely medical attention at a regular hospital. In addition, patients with articular cartilage injury that has led to joint degeneration will generally have Joint stiffness (clinically referred to as morning stiffness) after getting up in the morning. The stiffness will improve within half an hour after strengthening the range of motion, but the range of motion of the joint will be significantly reduced, accompanied by joint swelling and pain.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide clinical evidence for the diagnosis of articular cartilage injury. Normal cartilage cannot be visualized during X-ray examination. By examining the joint space, proliferative osteophytes, and the presence of subchondral cystic changes, it can be inferred whether there is cartilage damage, and there may be misdiagnosis. Therefore, in order to further clarify the diagnosis, physicians usually recommend conducting joint magnetic resonance imaging to understand the scope, size, and degree of cartilage damage.
Treatment after joint cartilage injury
Conservative management for minor articular cartilage injury usually does not affect joint activity, and Conservative management can achieve better results. Patients can adjust their lifestyle in a targeted manner under the guidance of a physician, such as performing appropriate functional exercises, wearing braces, using crutches or walking aids, etc. This can provide conditions for joint cartilage repair and prevent secondary injuries caused by external forces. At the same time, physical therapy, such as acupuncture and moxibustion and microwave irradiation, can be used to accelerate the blood circulation of joints and the swelling of surrounding tissues, which is convenient for cartilage repair. In addition, according to the patient's physical condition, the use of oral Glucosamine preparations, traditional Chinese medicine for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate and other methods also play a positive role in preventing further damage to cartilage.
Surgical treatment has become one of the main methods for treating cartilage injuries due to its limited ability to repair and regenerate joint cartilage. At present, there are many methods to repair cartilage damage in clinical application, such as cartilage cleaning and trimming, bone marrow stimulation, microfracture, periosteal transplantation and other technologies, which can promote the formation of Fibrocartilage on the joint surface to a certain extent. However, compared with normal Hyaline cartilage, Fibrocartilage has weak anti-wear ability and mechanical strength.
Cartilage regeneration is known as the "fourth generation tissue engineering cartilage repair technology" and can achieve relatively good cartilage regeneration and repair results. One of the key points of this technology is the application of thick scaffolds similar to normal cartilage composition and spatial structure. The scaffold material contains type II collagen that is consistent with the natural extracellular matrix of cartilage cells, which has better biocompatibility; At the same time, the scaffold mimics the spatial structure of normal joint cartilage, making the repaired cartilage extracellular matrix and cell arrangement similar to natural joint cartilage, closer to the "durable" function of normal cartilage.
Effective methods for preventing joint cartilage injury
Control weight and balance nutrition. Overweight can easily cause excessive load on the joints of the lower limbs, especially during running and jumping, where the joint load is 3-7 times one's own weight, which is prone to joint damage. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to a balanced diet and nutrition, consume more fruits and vegetables, and avoid overweight.
Do a good job of warm-up. Warm up adequately before exercise or training for moderate exercise. Especially in cold weather, more sufficient warm-up preparation is required to avoid muscle tension and Joint stiffness. Exercise in a scientific and moderate manner, avoiding excessive and monotonous high-load activities for extended periods of time. As you age, you can choose some exercise methods with less joint load, such as cycling, swimming, etc.
Step by step, try to choose a variety of sports and training methods to avoid injuries, alternate upper and lower limbs, strengthen the exercise of Core stability, and carry out static training of muscles around the knee, ankle and other joints at the same time, to avoid affecting the safety of sports due to insufficient muscle strength or uncoordinated movements and other reasons. If there is pain or swelling in the joint area after activity, it is necessary to rest in a timely manner to promote the self repair of joint injuries. When symptoms worsen, it is necessary to seek medical attention in a timely manner to avoid missing the best treatment opportunity.
Take good care of personal protection when exercising according to your abilities, equip yourself with complete professional protective equipment, master the essentials of standardized movements, and familiarize yourself with the venue and environment in advance. At the same time, it is necessary to fully recognize the dangers of various sports, have a basic assessment of one's athletic ability, act within one's abilities, and not rashly attempt difficult movements.
