Re-growing cartilage like a salamander

About three years ago, bending my right knee became painful. An MRI showed that my meniscus (cartilage) was “shredded.” Over about a year and a half, I had two or three cortisone shots in my knee that reduced the inflammation. The pain eventually went away. About nine months ago, I went back to the doc because, again, it hurt to bend my knee. I assumed it was the same knee. But when I checked the earlier MRI report, I was surprised to discover that it was not the same knee that had caused the earlier problem. What had once been my bad knee was now my good knee.

Conventional medical “wisdom” says that meniscus tears don’t get better and surgery is often recommended. But my once-bad knee is now fine! Maybe I re-grew some cartilage. A new study has shown that humans can re-grow cartilage in a manner similar to what a salamander can do when it re-grows missing limbs. The science has to do with the production of new collagen proteins and is rather complicated. At any rate, as one researcher said, “…this study provides compelling evidence that there are many similarities in human and salamander limbs.”

I also came across an article by Richard Bedard who, in his 40s, was told by four different doctors that his bad knees would never get better. He wouldn’t take no for an answer and began a “research odyssey.” He found several studies that proved that cartilage can indeed regrow, as shown in “before” and “after” MRI images. He started a program to heal his knees, which he doesn’t reveal because he’s written a book Saving My Knees. His conclusion: “My own experience showed me that rehabilitating damaged cartilage is a long, trying process. The condition of this tissue changes very, very slowly. But change it does—both better and worse. Today, after a recovery that took almost two years, my knees feel fine.” I guess I have to buy the book and get to work on my left knee.

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