This book presents a complete guide to treating patients with cartilage damage who are not yet candidates for joint arthroplasty.Cartilage Injury in the Athlete opens with review of anatomy and describes the response of articular cartilage to injury, followed by the clinical assessment of the injury. It covers nonoperative and operative approaches as well as the adjunctive procedures that often supplement cartilage restorative and repair surgery. Nearly 350 illustrations facilitate the understanding of examination and operative techniques. The text also addresses joint specific injuries in the shoulder, elbow, and ankle that are often neglected in other literature.Highlights:Provides a thorough overview of normal cartilage anatomy and cartilage response to injury that helps illuminate treatment techniques and healing processesDemonstrates surgical treatments using step-by-step illustrationsCovers nonoperative techniques including analgesics, oral anti-inflammatory medications, neutraceuticals, and hyaluronic acid injections/viscosupplementationDescribes adjunctive procedures, such as meniscal transplant and corrective osteotomyDiscusses future directions in the detection and treatment of cartilage injuriesBoth comprehensive and unique in its scope, this book is an invaluable resource for all orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine and primary care physicians, physical therapists, and fellows and residents in training.