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Oasis now offers Virtual Consultations for your initial evaluation.
Oasis now offers Virtual Consultations for your initial evaluation.
Cartilage is the tough but flexible tissue that covers the ends of your bones at a joint. Tears in cartilage result in painful bone-on-bone contact.
Cartilage tears in your joints can cause significant pain, swelling, and mobility limitations that interfere with both athletic activities and everyday tasks. These injuries affect the smooth, rubbery tissue cushioning the ends of your bones within joints, and they’re particularly common in the knee, shoulder, and hip. Unlike many other tissues in your body, cartilage has limited blood supply, which means it doesn’t heal well on its own once damaged and can cause other conditions. Understanding the causes of cartilage tears and available treatment options helps you make informed decisions about your care and take appropriate steps toward recovery.
Oasis Medical Group provides comprehensive treatment for cartilage tears across multiple locations in New Jersey, including Glen Rock, Union, and Clifton. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons use advanced diagnostic techniques to assess the extent of your cartilage damage and develop personalized treatment plans based on the tear’s location, size, and your activity level. Whether you need conservative management or surgical repair, our experienced team combines the latest treatment approaches with individualized care to help you regain function and return to the activities you enjoy.
Sports injuries represent one of the most frequent causes of cartilage tears, particularly in the knee. Meniscus tears occur when sudden twisting or pivoting movements while bearing weight stress the cartilage beyond its capacity. These injuries are common in football, basketball, soccer, and tennis, where athletes frequently change direction rapidly. Shoulder labral tears often result from repetitive overhead motions in baseball pitchers and swimmers, or from direct impacts and falls. Hip labral tears can develop from the repetitive twisting and pivoting movements in golf, hockey, and ballet. While acute sports injuries cause many cartilage tears, you don’t need to be an athlete to experience this type of damage.
Degenerative changes contribute significantly to cartilage tears, especially as you age. Years of normal wear and tear gradually weaken cartilage structure, making it more susceptible to tearing even from minor activities. Simple movements like squatting, kneeling, or getting up from a chair can cause tears in weakened cartilage. Obesity increases stress on weight-bearing joints, accelerating cartilage degeneration and increasing tear risk. Previous joint injuries, even if they healed years ago, can alter joint mechanics and predispose you to future cartilage damage. Some people have anatomical variations or genetic factors that make their cartilage more vulnerable to injury. Certain occupations requiring repetitive kneeling, squatting, or lifting also increase your risk of developing cartilage tears over time.
Many cartilage tears respond well to conservative treatment, particularly smaller tears in stable locations or tears in older patients with lower activity demands. Initial treatment typically includes rest from aggravating activities, ice application to reduce swelling, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to control pain and inflammation. Your physician may recommend activity modification to avoid movements that stress the damaged cartilage while allowing healing to occur. Using assistive devices like crutches temporarily reduces weight-bearing stress on the affected joint. Compression wraps and elevation can help manage swelling during the acute phase of injury.
Physical therapy plays a crucial role in conservative cartilage tear management. A structured rehabilitation program strengthens the muscles supporting your injured joint, improving stability and reducing stress on the damaged cartilage. Your therapist develops exercises targeting specific muscle groups while avoiding positions that aggravate your symptoms. Range of motion exercises gradually restore normal joint movement, while functional training helps you return to daily activities safely. Injection therapies provide another non-surgical option for symptom management. Corticosteroid injections reduce inflammation and pain, though they don’t repair the damaged cartilage. Viscosupplementation injections for knee cartilage damage supplement joint fluid and may improve function. Understanding when to seek orthopedic evaluation ensures you receive appropriate treatment before minor tears progress to more extensive damage.
When conservative treatments fail to provide adequate relief or when cartilage tears cause mechanical symptoms like locking or catching, surgical intervention may become necessary. Arthroscopic surgery represents the gold standard for treating most cartilage tears. This minimally invasive approach uses small incisions and a tiny camera to visualize and repair the damaged cartilage. For meniscus tears in the knee, surgeons may perform partial meniscectomy to remove the torn fragment or meniscus repair to suture the tear back together. Repair is preferred when possible because it preserves more healthy cartilage and provides better long-term joint health.
Shoulder labral tears typically require arthroscopic repair to reattach the torn cartilage to the bone using small anchors and sutures. Hip labral tears can be addressed through hip arthroscopy, allowing surgeons to repair or remove damaged tissue while preserving joint function. Cartilage restoration procedures offer options for larger areas of damage. These techniques include microfracture, where small holes drilled in underlying bone stimulate new cartilage-like tissue formation, and osteochondral grafting, which transplants healthy cartilage from another area. Advanced surgical techniques continue evolving to provide better outcomes for patients with cartilage damage. Recovery from arthroscopic cartilage surgery typically involves several weeks of protected weight-bearing, physical therapy, and gradual return to activities based on your healing progress and functional goals.
Oasis Medical Group’s fellowship-trained, board-certified surgeons have performed thousands of arthroscopic procedures with among the highest success rates for cartilage repair and reconstruction. Our comprehensive approach includes thorough diagnostic evaluation, appropriate conservative treatment when indicated, and advanced surgical techniques when necessary. We use state-of-the-art arthroscopic equipment and proven repair methods to maximize your outcomes and minimize recovery time. Our experienced orthopedic team provides personalized care throughout your treatment journey, from initial evaluation through complete recovery and return to your desired activities.
Don’t let cartilage tears limit your mobility or force you to give up the activities you love. With appropriate treatment, most patients achieve significant improvement and return to active lifestyles. Schedule your consultation today to discuss your cartilage injury and learn how our experienced team can help you achieve the best possible outcome.
The team at Oasis Orthopedic & Spine consists of experienced physicians and specialists providing comprehensive orthopedic and spine care across nine convenient locations throughout Northern New Jersey. Specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, advanced orthopedic treatments, and pain management, our goal is to bring you the real-world clinical expertise and proven treatment approaches we use in our practice daily.
