Cartilage is the smooth, pearly-white tissue that cushions your bones. When cartilage is damaged or worn away by age, disease, or physical activity, you may experience joint pain and inflammation. At Bay Area Orthopaedic & Sports Specialists in Emeryville, California, Stanford-trained orthopaedic surgeon Warren J. Strudwick, Jr., M.D., offers cartilage restoration for pain reduction, improved function, and mobility. Dr. Strudwick can ease your mind and answer all your questions about ankle, knee, and shoulder cartilage restoration during your consultation. Call the office to schedule your appointment online today.
RESTORE CARTILAGE for an
improved function & mobility
Am I a good candidate for cartilage restoration?
Younger to middle-aged adults with a single injury are ideal candidates for cartilage restoration, while older patients with multiple lesions may benefit from other treatments.
Also, although patients with arthritis may experience symptoms similar to those with limited cartilage damage, they generally aren’t good candidates for cartilage restoration. The good news is that there are several viable surgical and nonsurgical options for men and women living with arthritis.
Cartilage restoration is especially beneficial for your knee and shoulder joints.
What is cartilage restoration?
Cartilage is a strong, smooth, flexible tissue that serves different functions throughout your body. Joint cartilage enables your bones to move with ease and acts as a shock absorber to protect your bones during motions like walking or jumping.
While cartilage is strong and durable, it also becomes damaged by disease, injury, and wear and tear. When joint cartilage is damaged, the normal smooth motion is altered. The friction that results, causes loss of motion, pain, and swelling.
Cartilage restoration treatments are designed to replace worn or damaged tissue to better cushion your joints, improve mobility, and reduce pain and inflammation.
What's included?
Cartilage restoration treatments may include:
▸ Allograft: replacing damaged cartilage with healthy donor cartilage
▸ Autograft transfer: repairing a cartilage defect with cartilage from a part of the joint that’s not weight-bearing
▸ Carticel®/MACI®: uses your own cells to create and repair membrane that regenerates cartilage
What kind of results can I expect from cartilage restoration?
After cartilage restoration, Dr. Strudwick may ask you to refrain from putting weight on the treated joint for a period of time. Physical therapy also helps to gradually restore mobility to your knees or shoulders. Over time you will begin to strengthen the joint and the muscles supporting it, thus giving you back a full restoration.
You can encourage the healing process by maintaining a healthy weight and following Dr. Strudwick’s instructions for a safe recovery. Many people resume full physical activity within a few months and have better mobility and reduced joint pain and stiffness, though every patient’s experience may be different.
Learn More About
Your Treatment
Dr. Strudwick believes cartilage restoration is an ideal option for symptom relief without total joint replacement. To learn more about treatments to relieve joint pain, schedule an appointment with Bay Area Orthopaedic & Sports Specialists by phone today.
Get back in
the game
