# What do people ask about cartilage soreness? *Joint Soreness Questions | Cartilage Repair Tempe* > Cartilage repair Tempe questions answered plainly: scans, cartilage wear, blood-based care, surgery, warning signs, and the first visit. Why can your scan and your soreness disagree? A scan shows tissue, but only an exam can test the joint that hurts. The answers below cover the questions you'll hear most. They can't replace prompt care for fever, a hot joint, or sudden trouble bearing weight. ## Sources 1. In a meta-analysis of 63 studies covering 5,397 knees of 4,751 adults with NO symptoms and no injury, the pooled prevalence of cartilage defects on MRI was 24% (95% CI 15% to 34%), rising from 11% in adults under 40 to 43% in adults aged 40 and over. Meniscal tears were present in 10%, bone marrow lesions in 18% and osteophytes in 25%. Culvenor AG, et al. — [Prevalence of knee osteoarthritis features on magnetic resonance imaging in asymptomatic uninjured adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29886437/). *Br J Sports Med*, 2019. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099257. 2. Across 32 articles covering 1,019 patients, most MRI parameters measured after cartilage repair showed limited or no correlation with clinical outcome. Only 28% of studies found a correlation between outcome and the composite MOCART or Henderson score, 22% with defect fill, and five studies found a weak-to-moderate correlation with the T2 index. A better-looking repair on MRI is not reliably a better-feeling knee. de Windt TS, et al. — [Is magnetic resonance imaging reliable in predicting clinical outcome after articular cartilage repair of the knee? A systematic review and meta-analysis.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23364897/). *Am J Sports Med*, 2013. DOI: 10.1177/0363546512473258. 3. Twelve years after arthroscopic diagnosis, dGEMRIC and T2 mapping of 21 knees with full-thickness cartilage defects - 10 repaired at baseline with microfracture or ACI, 11 left untreated or simply debrided - showed no overall increase in cartilage degeneration in the injured knees. Radiographic osteoarthritis changes were present in 13 of the 21 knees but did not correlate with measured cartilage quality. Engen CN, et al. — [No degeneration found in focal cartilage defects evaluated with dGEMRIC at 12-year follow-up.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27882808/). *Acta Orthop*, 2017. DOI: 10.1080/17453674.2016.1255484. 4. In the RESTORE randomised trial, 288 people aged 50 or over with symptomatic mild-to-moderate medial knee osteoarthritis received three weekly injections of leukocyte-poor PRP or saline placebo. At 12 months there was no significant difference in knee pain (-2.1 versus -1.8 points) and none in medial tibial cartilage VOLUME (-1.4% versus -1.2%). Twenty-nine of 31 prespecified secondary outcomes also showed no difference. Bennell KL, et al. — [Effect of Intra-articular Platelet-Rich Plasma vs Placebo Injection on Pain and Medial Tibial Cartilage Volume in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: The RESTORE Randomized Clinical Trial.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34812863/). *JAMA*, 2021. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.19415. 5. FDA's consumer alert states verbatim of stem cell products, exosome products, adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction, umbilical cord blood, Wharton's Jelly and amniotic fluid products: "None of these products have been approved for the treatment of any orthopedic condition, such as osteoarthritis, tendonitis, disc disease, tennis elbow, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, or shoulder pain." The only stem cell products carrying FDA licensure are blood-forming cells derived from umbilical cord blood, licensed only for disorders of blood production, and there are currently no licensed exosome products. U.S. Food and Drug Administration — [Consumer Alert on Regenerative Medicine Products Including Stem Cells and Exosomes](https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/consumers-biologics/consumer-alert-regenerative-medicine-products-including-stem-cells-and-exosomes). *FDA, Consumers (Biologics)*, 2020. 6. A JBJS evidence-based review of chondral lesions of the knee sets management by lesion size, location, limb alignment and rotation, and patient demand rather than by product: osteochondral autograft transfer is described as durable and predictable for smaller lesions (under 2 cm2) in young active patients, while lesions of 2 cm2 or more are typically treated with osteochondral allograft transplantation, particulated juvenile articular cartilage, or matrix-associated chondrocyte implantation, with favourable mid- and long-term results reported for allograft or MACI in large lesions of 3 cm2 or more. Dekker TJ, et al. — [Chondral Lesions of the Knee: An Evidence-Based Approach.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33470591/). *J Bone Joint Surg Am*, 2021. DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.20.01161. 7. In 1,000 consecutive knee arthroscopies, chondral or osteochondral lesions of any type were found in 61% of patients and focal defects in 19%, with a mean total defect area of 2.1 cm2 and the medial femoral condyle involved in 58%. A single ICRS grade III or IV defect of at least 1 cm2 in a patient under 40 accounted for 5.3% of all arthroscopies. Hjelle K, et al. — [Articular cartilage defects in 1,000 knee arthroscopies.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12209430/). *Arthroscopy*, 2002. DOI: 10.1053/jars.2002.32839. 8. In 70 knees treated with particulated juvenile articular cartilage for full-thickness patellar defects, all patient-reported outcome scores improved significantly by two years (IKDC 41.1 to 73.5, Kujala 52 to 86.3). MRI showed defect fill above 66% in most patients by three months - and there was NO association between the percentage of defect fill and the outcome scores at one or two years. Marmor WA, et al. — [Outcomes of Particulated Juvenile Articular Cartilage and Association With Defect Fill in Patients With Full-Thickness Patellar Chondral Lesions.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39045351/). *Orthop J Sports Med*, 2024. DOI: 10.1177/23259671241249121. ## Does a knee x-ray show cartilage damage? Not directly. An x-ray shows bone and the space inside your joint, while less space can suggest cartilage wear. It can't show every small damaged area. ## What does cartilage damage feel like? You may notice aching after use, swelling, catching, or less motion. Those signs aren't specific, so an exam checks the nearby tissue too. Tell the clinician when each symptom began. ## Does chondral defect mean one damaged cartilage spot? Yes. Chondral defect is a report term for one damaged area of cartilage. Arthritis can cause wider wear across your joint. They don't always call for the same care. ## Does PRP help cartilage soreness? PRP means platelet-rich plasma. A clinician draws your blood, separates the platelet-rich portion, and places it in your joint for soreness. It doesn't prove that missing cartilage will grow back. ## Does cartilage damage always need surgery? No. Home changes or non-surgical care may fit when your joint is steady and doesn't lock. An exam can tell you when surgery deserves a talk. ## What happens at a QC Kinetix consultation? A medical provider, meaning the clinician seeing you, examines the joint and reviews your symptoms. Regenerative treatments include non-surgical office care made from a prepared portion of your blood. The exam may point to physical therapy, surgery, or more testing first. ## Ready to have your joint checked? Talk with QC Kinetix at its Chandler office. Bring your report and explain which movements change the soreness. The visit is about fit, not a promised result. You may hear that non-surgical care fits or that another type of care comes first. Book a free consultation: --- Clear answers for a sore joint. Clear help with joint soreness, scans, care at home, warning signs, and non-surgical choices near Tempe. Plain help for understanding joint soreness, scans, home care, and the next visit. This website is operated by the owners of the QC Kinetix clinics serving the Phoenix area, so its local handoff comes directly from the business behind that choice. © 2026 Tempe Cartilage Atlas. General education only; a qualified clinician must assess your symptoms, examination and images together.