Cartilage falls into three types within the human body, categorized by strength, structure and elasticity. A living tissue lining the bony surface of joints, cartilage provides shock absorption and enables your joints to bear your body's weight during daily activities and exercise. Articular cartilage, covering joint surfaces, is the most susceptible to degeneration or injury. Although articular cartilage cells may heal, they have no direct blood supply, which limits the capacity for healing, according to CaringMedical.com.
Cartilage Damage
Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is the leading cause of cartilage damage. The process usually involves progressive cartilage loss, followed by your body's attempt to repair the damage and finally damaging the bone beneath the articular cartilage. High-impact twisting injuries, inadequate muscle development, joint instability, abnormal joint anatomy and genetics may contribute to the onset of cartilage damage. Moderate normal joint function doesn't appear to increase the risk, says Caring Medical.
Affected Areas
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, osteoarthritis involves the hands, knees, hips and spine most often. Symptoms of cartilage damage in the knees and hips are stiffness, swelling and pain -- greatly limiting daily activity. Stiffness and pain in the spine is coupled with arthritis-related changes that can place pressure on nerves and cause numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms and legs.
Exercise and Cartilage
The long-held belief was that exercise aggravated joint cartilage loss due to the progressive nature of osteoarthritis. In 2005, Swedish researchers Leif Dahlberg and Ewa Roos utilized MRI technology to find evidence that exercise improved joint symptoms and function, as well as knee cartilage quality, in osteoarthritis sufferers. An exercise group enrolled in a supervised program of aerobic and weight bearing exercises three times weekly reported improved functional performance and gains in physical activity.
Benefits of Aerobic Activity
Aerobic or endurance exercises reduce fatigue and increase stamina by strengthening your heart and lungs. Aerobic activity burns more calories, helping you control your weight. Aerobic exercise also improves your mood by helping you sleep deeper. You benefit from the overall well-being associated with aerobic training as you experience less stress. Stress causes muscle tension, increasing the pain of osteoarthritis. The resulting depression produces more stress and begins a destructive stress-pain-depression-stress cycle. Three pounds of stress are added to your knee joints with every pound of body weight you gain. For hips, each pound equals 6 pounds of pressure. Over time, this extra weight can cause joint cartilage to break down more rapidly, says RxPG News.
Types of Aerobic Activity for Cartilage Health
Any activity using large muscle groups for a set amount of time to maintain a targeted heart rate is termed aerobic. Specific beneficial aerobic training routines include indoor cycling, step, interval and dance. Additionally, brisk walking, jogging or cycling are excellent outdoor aerobic activities.
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