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Management of knee articular cartilage injuries in athletes: chondroprotection, chondrofacilitation, and resurfacing

  • Knee
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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Articular cartilage defects of the knee are common among athletes where the physical demands of sport result in significant stresses on joints. Chondral defects are associated with pain and functional impairment that limit sporting participation and may progress to joint degeneration and frank arthritis. Management of established chondral lesions aims to allow athletes to return to high-impact sports and can be considered in terms of protection of existing cartilage, chondrofacilitation, and resurfacing. Repaired and regenerated cartilage must closely resemble and function like normal hyaline cartilage, and this ability may be the most significant factor for the return to sport. Based on our experiences and the available literature, we outline how athletes can best protect their cartilage, how physicians can facilitate intrinsic repair of established lesions, and which methods of cartilage restoration or resurfacing should be used in different situations.

Level of evidence

IV.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Mr Ivan Brenkel for his comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, The University of Edinburgh, 46 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK

    Iain R. Murray

  2. Active Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Hackensack, NJ, USA

    Michael T. Benke

  3. Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group, Santa Monica, CA, USA

    Bert R. Mandelbaum

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  1. Iain R. Murray
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Correspondence to Iain R. Murray.

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Murray, I.R., Benke, M.T. & Mandelbaum, B.R. Management of knee articular cartilage injuries in athletes: chondroprotection, chondrofacilitation, and resurfacing. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 24, 1617–1626 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-015-3509-8

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