A talus cartilage injury is an area of damaged cartilage on the surface of the talus bone, which makes up part of the ankle joint. These cartilage injuries are also called osteochondral defects or osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs).
Talus Cartilage Injuries
Talus cartilage injuries are isolated areas of cartilage damage that often cause pain, limited range of motion, and difficulty bearing weight. These injuries can result from trauma, repeated stress, or vascular or metabolic conditions that affect the blood supply of the ankle.
At-home treatment methods can help manage pain from talus cartilage injuries, but because cartilage has a limited ability to heal, surgery may be needed to prevent talus cartilage injuries from getting worse.
During talus cartilage injury surgery, incisions are made along the ankle to allow a surgeon to access the cartilage injury, clean it up, and insert a cartilage graft.
