[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/on-the-horizon-a-potential-breakthrough-in-cartilage-regeneration\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/on-the-horizon-a-potential-breakthrough-in-cartilage-regeneration\/","headline":"On the Horizon: A Potential Breakthrough in Cartilage Regeneration","name":"On the Horizon: A Potential Breakthrough in Cartilage Regeneration","description":"Some exciting news was published earlier this year in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatology \u2013 researchers from the University of Iowa have discovered that a synthetic gel capable of repairing cartilage may also prevent development of osteoarthritis (OA).   James Martin, Ph.D., assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation at the University of Iowa, and […]","datePublished":"2015-06-15","dateModified":"2024-02-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/author\/developer\/#Person","name":"Nick Petersen","url":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/author\/developer\/","identifier":2,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8ea7fc410413ee0b715aee4c6b2d912c09623af5f85eaca6f6d7e0a2c223e1df?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8ea7fc410413ee0b715aee4c6b2d912c09623af5f85eaca6f6d7e0a2c223e1df?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Reflex Knee Specialists","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/b1ec2b6df7.nxcli.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.png","url":"http:\/\/b1ec2b6df7.nxcli.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/logo.png","width":169,"height":104}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2517570.webp","url":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/2517570.webp","height":845,"width":1536},"url":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/on-the-horizon-a-potential-breakthrough-in-cartilage-regeneration\/","about":["Blogs"],"wordCount":550,"articleBody":"Some exciting news was published earlier this year in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatology \u2013 researchers from the University of Iowa have discovered that a synthetic gel capable of repairing cartilage may also prevent development of osteoarthritis (OA). James Martin, Ph.D., assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation at the University of Iowa, and his team\u00a0identified cells within normal cartilage that are able to mature into new cartilage tissue. This discovery challenged\u00a0the long-held assumption that cartilage cannot repair itself. This breakthrough is incredibly meaningful for individuals who may not be a candidate for\u00a0knee surgery\u00a0but are suffering from\u00a0knee pain\u00a0and other OA symptoms. Cartilage, the spongy tissue essential for knee mechanics and lubrication, is compromised and often lost progressively over time\u00a0as a result of osteoarthritis of the knee. This deterioration leads to joint dysfunction, pain and disability. The Science Behind the Discovery Because cartilage is crucial for those suffering from OA, Dr. Martin and his team focused on ways to prevent the substance from diminishing. This goal was ambitious given the commonly-held belief that cartilage has no regenerative potential. However, through a creative and innovative method, the team found success \u2013 injecting a custom-made substance called hydrogel into degenerative cartilage caused the cells to grow and mature into normal cartilage. \u201cThis process gives us a great result,\u201d says Yin Yu, co-author of the study and graduate student at the University of Iowa. \u201cThe new cartilage integrates seamlessly with the undamaged tissue, it\u2026 looks like normal cartilage.\u201d While the new tissue is not as mechanically strong as normal cartilage, Yu and Martin conjecture that mechanical loading may improve mechanical properties. What Lies Ahead for Patients with OA People with a history of\u00a0knee injuries, especially ACL or meniscal tears, have 4 times greater risk of developing knee OA compared to people without prior injury. A fact not well recognized in the athletic community is that 50% of patients who have had an ACL tear will develop OA within 10 years of injury. For some athletes, that means joint damage is well underway before their 30th\u00a0birthday. \u201cThere\u2019s really no cure for osteoarthritis except for total joint replacement, which is not particularly suitable for younger patients because the artificial joints wear out and need to be replaced multiple times,\u201d says Martin. \u201cOur approach aims to leverage the body\u2019s own capacity for repair, and what we\u2019ve shown is that cartilage does have regenerative potential; you just have to manipulate it just right.\u201d These studies are encouraging, but further research is needed for this approach to be commonly utilized. Yu and Martin plan to start animal trials within a year and, if the results are good, they hope to be ready to start human trials in about five years. At Reflex, we are passionate about helping our\u00a0patients\u00a0suffering from knee pain get back to life. Our medical staff is encouraged by the flurry of\u00a0research\u00a0activity that is happening across the globe as scientists and clinicians race to find a cure for OA, and we\u2019re committed to staying on the cutting edge as new preventative and non-surgical treatment options come to light. To learn about non-surgical treatment options for osteoarthritis relief, give us a call at (503) 719-6783."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blogs","item":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"On the Horizon: A Potential Breakthrough in Cartilage Regeneration","item":"https:\/\/reflexknees.com\/blogs\/on-the-horizon-a-potential-breakthrough-in-cartilage-regeneration\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]