Why doesn’t my knee cartilage heal itself?

The chances are you know someone who has knee pains or OA knees. The most common cause of this condition is the wear and tear or the cartilage cushioning the knee joint as we move. Most people when first confronted with Osteoarthritis Knees is to ask, “How do I get this to heal?”. Unfortunately, cartilage wear-and–tear does not heal well because of the lack of a good blood supply to the damaged area.

One of the key mechanism for tissue repair is a healthy blood supply. Blood cells, including oxygen-rich red blood cells, arrive to help build new tissue. Chemical signals instruct cells to create collagen, which serves as a type of scaffolding, and other tissues to begin the repair process. Occasionally, you see the result of this process as a scar that starts out red and eventually dulls. Within a week, the repair is 10 percent as strong as the original.

Unfortunately, the menicus, the cartilage in the knee, has a a very poor supply of blood vessel supporting this tissue. Furthermore, only the outer 20% of the meniscus where the blood supply is could heal with a period of immobilization but this is unfortunately a rare circumstance.

Experiencing knee pain? Click here to find out more about physiotherapy for knee pain relief and how Core Concepts can help