Everything you need to know about cartilage, right here

Overview

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• Source: Microbioz India


• Date: 14 Dec,2022

Your joints and bones are protected by a tough connective tissue called cartilage, which is both flexible and robust. Within the entirety of your body, it performs the function of a shock absorber.

When you move your joints, the cartilage that covers the ends of your bones reduces the amount of friction that occurs and keeps the bones from grinding against one another. In addition, it serves as the primary tissue in some areas of your body and is responsible for providing such areas with their structure and shape.

Damage to your cartilage can occur suddenly, for example as a result of a sports injury or another type of trauma; but, it can also slowly accumulate over the course of your life, which can eventually lead to osteoarthritis.

What does cartilage do?

Your bones and joints are shielded from harm by cartilage. It wraps around the ends of the bones in your body and provides a cushioning for the areas in your joints where bones come together. The cartilage has three purposes:

1. Serving as a shock absorber: cartilage acts as a cushion for your bones and joints whenever they are moved or used. It is capable of absorbing force, which in turn lessens the amount of strain that an impact places on your bones. Consider how different it is to perform activities like jumping up and down when barefoot versus while wearing running shoes. On the interior of your joints and all the way around your bones, cartilage serves the same purpose as the cushioning in your shoes.
2. Lessening the amount of friction experienced by the joints cartilage lubricates. It allows the bones in your body to glide past one another without grinding against one another. Because of this, your joints are able to function as smoothly as they should, which in turn decreases the amount of wear and strain they experience.
3. Structures that provide support within the body: cartilage ensures that your joints maintain their normal form even when you are moving. In addition to this, it connects the various tissues in your body to the bones. The cartilage in your body is connected to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments throughout your entire body.

Cartilage is the primary connective tissue in several areas of the body, including but not limited to:

1. Nose.
2. Ears.
3. Windpipe (your trachea).

Different kinds of cartilage

Your body contains three distinct forms of cartilage, which are as follows:

1. Hyaline cartilage.
2. Elastic cartilage.
3. Fibrocartilage.

What can I do to make sure that my cartilage stays healthy?

Regular exercise is one of the general healthy habits that will help your cartilage (and the structures that it supports) function as they should. Other general healthy habits include:

1. Keeping a healthy weight consistently.
2. Abstaining from the use of cigarettes and other tobacco products