Cartilage Restoration & Regeneration

Do you suffer from joint pain in your knees, hips or shoulders?  You’re not alone. In fact, an estimated two million of all ages are affected by cartilage injuries each year. In the past, debilitating cartilage injuries were treated ineffectively, and standard surgery only offered unsatisfactory relief. This is why Dr. Nordt developed the Virginia Cartilage Center.

As founder and director of the Virginia Cartilage Center – a specialized program for the treatment of cartilage injuries of the knee – Dr. Nordt is on the cutting edge of cartilage restoration and regeneration treatments in Richmond, Virginia and beyond.

The program emphasizes a comprehensive approach to cartilage damage:

• appropriate diet and weight management
• the facts about nutritional supplementation
• specialized exercise and rehabilitation
• advanced surgical procedures

Cartilage damage comes in many forms and unfortunately, there is no “one-size-fits-all” treatment. In fact, there are many surgical procedures that can address damaged cartilage.  The specific procedure that your surgeon recommends is based on a variety of factors. As a leader in cartilage restoration, Dr. Nordt will carefully assess the many and complex factors when deciding on an individualized plan for the surgical treatment of your cartilage damage.

Who is Cartilage Regeneration For?

Regenerating cartilage is a difficult biological task.  The smaller the amount of surface damage, the greater the likelihood that a lesion can be restored.  Age also plays a role.  In younger patients, the body possesses greater natural healing capacity.  Therefore, younger patients with smaller lesions are more amenable to cartilage restoration procedures.  The opposite is true for larger lesions in older individuals.  In the most extreme situations where a joint has long been “bone-on-bone,” cartilage restoration procedures are generally not recommended.

What Patients Can Expect

Various cartilage repair procedures are now available and more are sure to come.  Certain procedures are suitable for specific types of cartilage damage.  One must be aware that there are two steps to a cartilage repair procedure. The first step is the process of surgically repairing the area of cartilage damage while the second involves nature healing and incorporating the area of repair.    It is this second step that is often the most critical and unpredictable.  Successful recovery from a cartilage procedure often requires a period of non-weight-bearing and rehabilitation to follow.  New cartilage takes several months to mature and establish itself.