Plano
469-303-3000
Fax: 469-303-4520
Frisco
469-303-3000
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Prosper
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Request an Appointment with codes: Andrews Institute (Sports Medicine)
At the Children's Health℠ Andrews Institute, our multidisciplinary team of experts works together to recommend the best approach when your child tears the cartilage between a joint. Each treatment plan is tailored to your child’s unique needs and provides comprehensive care.
469-303-3000
Fax: 469-303-4520
469-303-3000
Fax: 469-303-4520
469-303-3000
Fax: 469-303-4520
Request an Appointment with codes: Andrews Institute (Sports Medicine)
Our physicians are leaders in both non-invasive therapies and minimally invasive treatments for articular cartilage injuries, which tend to occur in the knee, ankle and elbow. We can also provide top care for related injuries, such as:
If damaged cartilage is not treated, it can worsen and eventually require surgery. We help avoid that outcome with medications, changes in activities and in-house physical therapy (PT). But we can also provide minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery if needed.
Articular cartilage helps our joints move and glide freely. Tears, or lesions, in that cartilage can interfere with normal movement and cause problems.
Common causes of articular cartilage injuries include:
Symptoms of an articular cartilage injury can include:
Feeling as if the joint, especially if it’s the knee, is giving out, “locking” or “catching”.
Our physicians start with a physical examination when diagnosing an articular cartilage injury. They may also order diagnostic tests to look at the bones, ligaments, tendons and cartilage in the injured joint.
Diagnostic testing may include:
Uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to take detailed images of the bones of the injured joint, checking for any problems
Uses X-rays to make detailed images of the injured area
Uses magnetic fields and radiowaves to take detailed pictures of the joint, checking for tears in the ligaments, tendons or cartilage
Uses an arthroscope (a thin, lighted tube with a small camera attached), which is inserted through tiny incisions to visualize, diagnose and treat the problem
Our physicians specialize in both non-surgical treatments for articular cartilage injuries and in minimally invasive surgery. If a repair is needed, our surgeons use a minimally invasive approach whenever possible.
When symptoms worsen, your child may need surgery. We consider the injury’s severity and your child’s age and activity level when determining the best option:
During this minimally invasive procedure, your child’s physician inserts an arthroscope — a thin, lighted tube with a small camera attached — through tiny incisions near the joint to visualize and treat the damage.
In rare cases, children with serious tears and existing conditions such as osteochondritis dissecans may require more extensive surgery. Your physician will discuss the best surgical options with you and your child.
The knee is the most common joint where articular cartilage injury occurs. Ankle, shoulders and elbows are less common, but also possible.
Learn more about articular cartilage injuries in children: