Cartilage Restoration

Cartilage Restoration in Colorado Springs, CO

If joint pain, swelling, or limited mobility is preventing you from enjoying an active lifestyle, cartilage restoration may help you return to the activities you love. At Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group, our experienced orthopaedic specialists provide advanced cartilage restoration treatments for patients throughout Colorado Springs, Monument, Fountain, Falcon, Woodland Park, and surrounding communities.

Cartilage damage can develop from sports injuries, traumatic accidents, or repetitive joint stress. Because cartilage has limited healing ability, untreated damage can worsen over time and increase the risk of arthritis. Our team offers comprehensive evaluation and personalized treatment plans designed to restore joint function, relieve pain, and help preserve your natural joint whenever possible.

Whether you are experiencing cartilage damage in the knee, shoulder, ankle, or other joint, Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group utilizes advanced diagnostic technology and innovative cartilage restoration procedures to help you achieve long-term joint health and mobility.

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Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group

Sports injuries can happen to competitive athletes, active adults, weekend athletes, and anyone who enjoys staying physically active. Whether caused by an acute injury or repetitive stress, these problems can affect your performance and keep you from doing the activities you enjoy.

CSOG provides comprehensive sports medicine care for a wide range of injuries and conditions affecting the joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Our specialists emphasize accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment, with options that may include rehabilitation, physical therapy, injections, minimally invasive procedures, and surgery when necessary.

Our approach is focused not only on treating the immediate injury but also on helping you safely regain strength, mobility, and confidence. The goal is to help you return to your sport or activity at the appropriate stage of recovery.

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What is Articular Cartilage?

Articular or hyaline cartilage is a smooth tissue that covers the bone surfaces in a joint helping in smooth bony interactions during movements of the joint. This tissue has a reduced capacity to repair itself because it has no direct blood supply.

What is Cartilage Restoration?

Cartilage restoration is a procedure performed to replace the worn-out cartilage with new cartilage.

Indications for Cartilage Restoration

It is usually performed to treat small areas of cartilage damage usually caused by sports or traumatic injuries. It is not indicated if you have advanced arthritis of the joint.

Cartilage Restoration Procedures

Cartilage restoration helps relieve pain, restore normal function, and can delay or prevent the onset of arthritis. The goal of the cartilage restoration procedures is to stimulate the growth of new hyaline cartilage. Various arthroscopic procedures involved in cartilage restoration include:

Microfracture: Microfracture involves creating numerous tiny holes in the injured joint surface using a special tool called awl. The holes are made in the bone under the cartilage, called the subchondral bone. This creates new blood supply to the cartilage, which stimulates the growth of new cartilage.
Drilling: This procedure is similar to microfracture where multiple holes are created in the injured joint area using a surgical drill or wires.
Abrasion arthroplasty: This procedure is similar to drilling but involves the use of high-speed burs to remove the damaged cartilage.
Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI): This is a two-step procedure, where the healthy cartilage cells are removed from the non-weight-bearing joint, grown in the laboratory and then implanted in the cartilage defect during the second procedure. During this procedure, a patch is harvested from the periosteum, a layer of thick tissue that covers the bone, and is sewn over the defective area using fibrin glue. The new cartilage cells are then injected under the periosteum into the cartilage defect to allow the growth of new cartilage cells.
Osteochondral autograft transplantation: In this procedure, plugs of cartilage are removed from the non-weight-bearing areas of your joint and transferred to the damaged areas of the joint. This method is used to treat smaller cartilage defects since the graft that is taken from your own body will be limited.
Osteochondral allograft transplantation: In this procedure, healthy cartilage tissue is taken from a donor from the bone bank. This is used as a graft and transplanted to the area of cartilage defect.

Following cartilage restoration, your doctor may recommend physical therapy to help improve mobility to the affected joint.

For more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, call us at or click here to request an appointment online. We'll respond to you as soon as possible.

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Why Choose Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group for Cartilage Restoration?

Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group is a trusted destination for advanced cartilage restoration and joint preservation procedures in Southern Colorado. Our board-certified orthopaedic surgeons are committed to helping patients maintain active lifestyles while delaying or avoiding more extensive joint replacement procedures whenever possible.

Patients choose our practice because we offer:

Expertise in advanced cartilage restoration and joint preservation techniques
Comprehensive evaluation and customized treatment plans
Arthroscopic and minimally invasive treatment options
State-of-the-art diagnostic imaging and surgical technology
Specialized care for athletes and active individuals
Collaborative rehabilitation and physical therapy recommendations
Compassionate, patient-centered care focused on long-term outcomes
Convenient access for patients throughout Colorado Springs and surrounding communities

Our goal is to restore joint function, reduce pain, and help patients return to work, sports, and everyday activities with greater confidence and mobility.

Cartilage Restoration FAQs

What is cartilage restoration?

Cartilage restoration is a group of specialized procedures designed to repair or replace damaged cartilage within a joint. These treatments aim to relieve pain, improve joint function, and help prevent further joint deterioration.

Who is a candidate for cartilage restoration?

Cartilage restoration is often recommended for patients with localized cartilage injuries caused by sports injuries, trauma, or wear and tear. It is typically most effective for patients who do not have advanced arthritis.

What joints can be treated with cartilage restoration?

Cartilage restoration procedures are most commonly performed in the knee but may also be used in other joints depending on the location and extent of cartilage damage.

How is cartilage damage diagnosed?

Your orthopaedic specialist will perform a physical examination and may order diagnostic imaging such as X-rays or MRI scans to evaluate the extent of cartilage injury and determine the most appropriate treatment.

How long does recovery take after cartilage restoration?

Recovery varies depending on the procedure performed, the size of the cartilage defect, and the joint being treated. Most patients participate in a structured rehabilitation program to maximize healing and restore joint function.

Will I need physical therapy after surgery?

Yes. Physical therapy is an important part of recovery and helps improve strength, flexibility, mobility, and overall joint function following cartilage restoration procedures.

Schedule a Cartilage Restoration Consultation in Colorado Springs

If chronic joint pain or cartilage damage is affecting your quality of life, the specialists at Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group are here to help. We provide comprehensive cartilage restoration solutions tailored to your condition, activity level, and long-term goals.

Contact Colorado Springs Orthopaedic Group today to schedule your consultation and learn whether cartilage restoration may be the right treatment option for you. Our team proudly serves patients throughout Colorado Springs, Monument, Falcon, Fountain, Woodland Park, and neighboring Southern Colorado communities, helping individuals restore mobility, reduce pain, and get back to the activities they enjoy.

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