Chondral Injury

Description

A chondral injury is a localized injury affecting a surface of the joint that involves breaking, with or without separation, of a segment of articular cartilage without injury to the underlying bone. This can occur in any joint, although it occurs most commonly in the knee, followed by the ankle, elbow, and shoulder. It occurs most often in adolescent males. This is a difficult problem to treat, because cartilage has a limited ability to heal.

Common signs and symptoms

• Swelling and pain, possibly an aching, giving way, and locking or catching of joints

• Feeling a piece of cartilage floating in the joint

• Crepitation (a crackling sound) within the joint with motion

• Often, injuries to other structures within the joint, such as tears of the ligament and meniscus cartilage from the great force necessary to cause this injury

Causes

Chondral injuries are the result of impaction, avulsion, shearing, and rotational forces that cause direct trauma or injury to the joint.

Factors that increase risk

• Contact and collision sports and sports in which playing on, and possibly falling on, hard surfaces may occur

• Adolescence

• Other knee injury, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or meniscus tear

• Poor physical conditioning (strength, flexibility)

Preventive measures

• Wear protective equipment (knee pads) to soften direct trauma.

• Wear cleats appropriate for the playing surface.

• Appropriately warm up and stretch before practice and competition.

< div class='tao-gold-member'>

Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Related posts:

Birth Control and Sports Biceps Tendon Subluxation Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm Effort Thrombosis Proximal Tibiofibular Joint Dislocation Subtalar Dislocation

Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel

Join

Full access? Get Clinical Tree