Athletes suffer their fair share of tendon problems. Most often there's knee pain from patellar tendon disorders or ankle pain from Achilles tendinopathy. Tendinopathy is another term for any disorder affecting the tendon.

Sometimes osteoarthritis of the knee only affects one side of the joint. When that happens, it's called unicompartmental knee arthritis. Although either side of the joint can be involved, the medial joint (side closest to the other knee) is affected most often.

Patients and surgeons faced with how to treat a grade IV osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) defect have two choices: remove it or screw it back in place. In this article, the long-term results of a small number of patients (12) are reported following surgical fixation with a screw.

When surgeons are reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee, they often see damage to the joint surface. The area affected is called the articular cartilage. This is the cartilage that covers the joint and makes it possible for the two sides of the joint to slide and glide smoothly across each other.

The osteotomy procedure is most often used for patients who have osteoarthritis in only one side of their knee joint. The operation helps realign the knee joint and shifts the weight off the load bearing side. This operation may increase the life span of the joint and prolong the time before a knee replacement surgery becomes necessary.

Sometimes (like in your case) osteoarthritis of the knee only affects one side of the joint. When that happens, it's called unicompartmental knee arthritis. Although either side of the joint can be involved, the medial joint (side closest to the other knee) is affected most often.

Damage to the articular cartilage is fairly common with ACL tears. This is especially true in young, active athletes. Most of the lesions occur on the femoral condyle (bottom knob of the femur or thigh bone). Cartilage doesn't have a very good blood supply so it doesn't heal well. And we don't have very good treatments yet to encourage proper healing.

You have asked the very same question that has come to light recently in a study from Poland. When surgeons are reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee, they often see damage to the joint surface. The area affected is called the articular cartilage. This is the cartilage that covers the joint and makes it possible for the two sides of the joint to slide and glide smoothly across each other.

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a problem that affects the knee, mostly at the end of the big bone of the thigh (the femur). A joint surface damaged by OCD doesn't heal naturally. OCD mostly affects the femoral condyles of the knee. The femoral condyle is the rounded end of the lower thighbone, or femur.

More and more younger adults (younger than 60 years old) are getting total knee replacements (TKRs). Severe, disabling pain from degenerative joint disease is the main reason given for this type of surgery. And early reports indicate great success so far -- a survival rate of the implant that was 82.2 percent for the first 15 years.