Complaints occur more intense or discreet depending on the magnitude, depth, and location of the lesion. During exercise, pain, cracking, bruising and joint swelling are characteristic. Symptoms may vary; load, exercise are mostly obstructed, but it may even be asymptomatic for a long time.

Typical symptoms are tension, swelling, warming, and fatigue. Usually, complaints cannot be localized to a certain location.

• fraying of cartilage cells progresses with age,
• in case of increased stress (sport, physical work),
• meniscus injury, knee luxation, knee instability, or axial deviation

In case of cartilage damage, it is important to set up an accurate diagnosis, which includes a physical examination, a load X-ray examination, or an MRI scan. However, the degree of damage of the cartilage surface is most accurately detected during arthroscopic surgery.

If the damage of the cartilage is recognized early, there are several ways to alleviate the symptoms:

• temporary reduction of load,
• taking cartilage regenerating medicines,
• knee lubrication when fluid viscosity comparable to the articular fluid is ingested, which nourishes existing cartilage cells and reduces damage,
• steroid injection, which is used to reduce inflammation due to mechanical irritation (highly damaged cartilage),
• weight loss,
• eliminating any existing risk factors,
• special physiotherapy

Damage on the kneecap cause typical complaints that often occur during sports. In such a case, the kneecap relieving device can resolve the complaints.

In the case of surgical treatment of cartilage damage, the primary goal is to curb the lesion and, if possible, to initiate the regeneration processes at the site of the damage. In order to stop the further separation of degenerated cartilage parts the frayed cartilage is removed and the surface must be smoothed.

In the recovery process of the joints, the mechanical role of shavers (“shavings”) is primarily due to the fact that a regeneration process starts in the treated areas. Surfaces will be covered with a fibrous cartilage coating, so abrasion will slow down as a coating layer is formed on the surfaces.

If we are facing greater cartilage surface damage, after the cleansing the cartilage surfaces the cartilage surface simulation, the so-called microfracture surgery (drilling) is the safest routine procedure. In addition to proper rehabilitation in the area concerned, so-called “glass-like fibrous cartilage” (hyaline cartilage) can develop, which does not correspond to the original one histologically and in terms of its load capacity, but in many cases, highly loadable cartilage is formed.

In the first few days after the operation, the joints are recovering from the operation. There is a need for rest because during the arthroscopy procedure the lubricant of the joints is “washed out”, and the reproduction of the joint moisture requires at least three days.

After the cartilage surgery, it is crucial to fully relieve the knees to recover 6 to 8 weeks using two crutches. If the said period is over, the treated surface becomes strong enough to prevent the coating layer from breaking down it is not going to compress the cartilage surface for less load or footstep.

Only the physiotherapy required by the physiotherapist can be performed with the operated foot, and muscle strengthening and stretching exercises can begin. If the relief process is not done consistently or the physiotherapy starts too early, the surface coating process fails, the surfaces practically remain free and the harmful enzymes from the bone can get almost unhindered to the joint fluid. Thus, the abrasion process continues, even if short-term improvement has been recognized. In order to make the regeneration process more intensive in the treated areas, a few weeks after hyaluronic acid or polynucleotide injection can be given to the joints.