J Knee Surg 2020; 33(11): 1078-1087
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1713813
Special Focus Section

Nonsurgical Management of Cartilage Defects of the Knee: Who, When, Why, and How?

Chad Hanaoka
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois
,
Cameron Fausett
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois
2   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
,
Prakash Jayabalan
1   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, Illinois
3   Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
› Author Affiliations
Funding The author is supported by a grant from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (2KL2TR001424-05A1).

Abstract

The nonoperative practitioner managing individuals with cartilage defects should use a patient-centered, multifaceted approach that aims to individualize treatment to provide optimal benefit. These include addressing modifiable risk factors for disease progression and instituting interventions such as weight loss, nutrition, physical activity, and potentially regenerative medicine strategies. This review will focus on these nonoperative treatment strategies with a focus on when treatments are necessary, who will benefit from these approaches, why they are specifically appropriate, and, finally, how these treatments directly modify the structure of a patient's cartilage and resulting symptoms.



Publication History

Received: 07 April 2020

Accepted: 24 May 2020

Article published online:
14 July 2020

Thieme Medical Publishers
333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

 
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