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Explore expert articles on cartilage care, regenerative treatments, and practical recovery advice from our specialist team.

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Where Liquid Cartilage fits in joint preservation
Cartilage Repair
Eleanor Hayes

Where Liquid Cartilage fits in joint preservation

Joint preservation for focal cartilage defects spans two distinct pathways: the ChondroFiller injection, an ultrasound-guided outpatient procedure for accessible lesions, and the Liquid Cartilage surgical protocol, Professor Lee's keyhole technique combining ChondroFiller, biologics, and optional mesenchymal stem cells for larger or load-bearing defects. This article explains where each sits in the decision pathway for the hip, knee and ankle — and when bigger surgery remains the appropriate next step.

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Deciding between injections and surgery for cartilage pain
PRP
Eleanor Hayes

Deciding between injections and surgery for cartilage pain

PRP knee injections tend to improve pain and function over 1–6 months rather than days, while ankle MFAT or Lipogems injections have only case-level evidence and suit mainly organised joints without major malalignment, collapse or unstable cartilage defects.

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Making sense of early hip knee and ankle pain
Joint Conditions
Eleanor Hayes

Making sense of early hip knee and ankle pain

Night-time hip ache after load, an ankle that flares after sprains, and early knee osteoarthritis are usually mechanical problems rather than signs of cancer. Fewer than 20% of early knees worsen over 2–5 years, symptomatic primary ankle osteoarthritis is uncommon, and hip scans need clinical context because labral tears often appear in pain-free people.

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Where joint injections fit between physio and surgery
Injections & Biologics
Eleanor Hayes

Where joint injections fit between physio and surgery

Joint injections can reduce pain and improve function, but they do not repair cartilage or cure arthritis. Corticosteroids work fastest for short-term flare control, PRP tends to last longer in knee osteoarthritis, hyaluronic acid gives modest hip symptom relief, and BMAC remains an uncertain option for focal cartilage defects.

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Single-stage ACI and where classic ACI still fits
Cartilage Repair
Eleanor Hayes

Single-stage ACI and where classic ACI still fits

Classic ACI and MACI are usually two-stage procedures: a biopsy and knee assessment come first, then cultured chondrocytes are implanted weeks later. In one 46-patient series, only 26.1% went on to transplantation, while single-stage options such as AMIC and other one-step repairs are gaining ground for suitable focal defects.

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AMIC knee recovery and hip MACI decisions
Knee Cartilage Repair
Eleanor Hayes

AMIC knee recovery and hip MACI decisions

AMIC is used for focal, full-thickness knee cartilage defects of about 2–8 cm² in relatively preserved joints, with recovery usually taking 6–12 months. In the hip, MACI remains a specialist two-stage option for selected younger patients with grade III–IV defects of at least 2 cm², where joint space and biomechanics still support preservation.

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