Treatment of knee cartilage erosion

When suffering from cartilage erosion, this situation requires immediate medical intervention to obtain appropriate treatment. In the following article, we will learn about the most important methods of treatment, so let us read the following.

Treatment of knee cartilage erosion

The treatment of cartilage in the knee goes through many stages depending on the extent of the patient’s condition, and here are some of the treatment methods that doctors follow in such cases:

Medication treatment

This is the first option that the doctor resorts to as soon as he notices the presence of erosion in the joint cartilage in the knee, and among the drugs he recommends:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: they work to reduce the pain that is associated with this erosion, in addition to getting rid of the inflammation in the joint.
Cortisone injection: The doctor injects it directly into the affected joint to relieve pain and treat inflammation, and its effect is long-term.

Natural therapy

The doctor recommends a specialist in physiotherapy, whether there is a need for surgical intervention or not, and the focus in these exercises is on strengthening the muscles surrounding the joint, which provide sufficient support for the knee, and examples of physiotherapy methods that are used in treatment:

Exercises for good mobility recovery.
Hydrophysiotherapy.
Use adhesive tape.
Do some exercises that help the individual’s ability to balance.

Surgical treatment

This is the last solution that the doctor resorts to find a way to treat cartilage erosion once and for all, and this is after the previous treatment methods have been completely exhausted without any benefit, and during that process, the patient is subjected to complete anesthesia, whether by endoscopy or surgery, and examples of operations that are performed are:

Debridement: In this process, the soft tissues and edges that are damaged are removed from the cartilage in the knee, and the damage can be repaired at the same time as the operation.
Bone marrow stimulation: In this process, the surgeon makes small holes in the bone below the knee joint to stimulate the growth of new cartilage tissue in the knee.
Mosaicloplasty: In this process, the doctor takes small pieces of cartilage from areas that cannot bear any weight, to use them to repair the damaged cartilaginous area.
Osteotomy: In this procedure, the alignment of the leg is changed to relieve pressure on the cartilage and knee by removing a small portion of the shin bone or thigh bone.
Joint replacement: This operation is performed in difficult cases, in which the entire knee joint is removed from the existing cartilage and replaced with a new artificial joint.

Does cartilage erosion have a cure?

Cartilage erosion has many treatment methods, each of which is determined according to the patient’s health condition and the most appropriate method for him, as simple cartilage erosion may only require some rest, sound habits, and light medications, and recovery takes place within a short time, but in some other cases, it may be required Surgical intervention to get rid of the problem permanently.

Causes of erosion of knee cartilage
Exposure to a strong and direct collision in the knee.
Aging and overuse of the knee joint.
Lethargy and not doing any sporting activities.

Knee cartilage erosion treatment without surgery

The appropriate treatment for cartilage erosion is determined according to the patient’s condition and the extent of its deterioration, and some methods are followed at the beginning before resorting to surgical intervention and are easy to perform at home, for example:

Knee protection: At first, care must be taken to prevent erosion of the cartilage, and this matter may be controlled by wearing a knee brace, which is available in many types in pharmacies and is easy to obtain, but care must be taken to ensure that it is tight enough to support the knee and at the same time does not impede blood circulation in the area.
Rest: Care must be taken to take plenty of rest and avoid pressure on the affected knee completely for a few days. When forced movement, a crutch can be used to reduce pressure on it.
Ice packs: They play a major role in relieving pain caused by erosion of the cartilage in the knee, and they can be applied more than once a day for 20 minutes.
Knee pressure: Wearing bandages that are intended for knee pressure has a major role in alleviating the pain and swelling that the individual is exposed to.
Raising the injured leg: Keeping the foot at a higher level than the rest of the body reduces swelling and swelling that occurs in it, and some pillows can be used to do so.