Question: I had surgery on both knees some years back, but I still have pain and stiffness (I'm 53). I'm told the reason is because I have no cartilage in the left knee and very little in the right. What do I do about it?
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
Pain from lack of cartilage often results from bone-on-bone irritation seen when the protective cartilage has been worn away. Perhaps you have some unaddressed arthritis that your doctor may be able to help you control better?
Often doctors will offer joint injections to try to simulate cartilage production, but often patients wait until it is too late and deformities form in the joint, sometimes requiring replacement.
In any event, you need to look at factors that predispose you to premature joint wearing, and should manage your weight and any other medical disorders you may have to minimize accelerated joint destruction.
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