Expertise in cartilage care

The Cartilage Care Center provides regional expertise in cartilage care to patients in the metropolitan Boston area and New England, offering over 20 years of collective experience in the treatment of knee and other joint cartilage injuries.

Our 3 subspecialty sports medicine-certified orthopaedic surgeons collaborate with dedicated musculoskeletal radiologists, physical therapists, and physiatrist to create a treatment plan best suited for each individual patient.

With on-site X-ray (including scanograms), musculoskeletal ultrasound, and MRI, we can utilize appropriate imaging techniques to arrive at the proper diagnosis and design a treatment plan.

Woman running on the beach

Not all cartilage injuries require surgery

From a non-surgical approach, we offer physical therapy, injections including viscosupplementation, corticosteroids, and orthobiologic agents such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC). When surgery is indicated, our cartilage specialists will counsel you about the advantages and disadvantages of various techniques, including the rehabilitation required, based upon their experience of over 900 cartilage procedures.

Convenient office location

Excel building exterior

Visit us right off I-93 in Woburn, MA, and surgery centers in Winchester, MA, and Nashua, NH. We offer patients easy access to a comprehensive, team-oriented treatment program without the hassle of a commute into Boston.

Same-week appointments

In most situations, we can arrange for a same-week appointment with one of our cartilage surgeons. We welcome 2nd and 3rd opinions and recommend that you bring any relevant operative and radiology reports, as well as images including MRI’s, X-rays and arthroscopic photos. In situations in which travel is difficult, we also offer telehealth appointments, although physical exam and personal review of imaging is ideal. Having cared for patients in every state from Virginia through Maine as well as Florida and others, we can arrange for telehealth visits for some follow-up appointments as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cartilage is the smooth substance which covers the surface of joints in your body. It helps to allow the bones to move against each other, and cushion impact at these joints. Unfortunately, over time or with injury, cartilage can wear out or tear causing significant pain and loss of function.
Some signs of cartilage damage include pain or swelling in the affected joint, or inability to participate in impact activities such as running, jumping or overhead activities. Most candidates are young, active, and have one or few areas of cartilage lesions, older adults (>55) with more areas of wear may not be candidates.
Return to sports depend on the type of procedure or treatment you undergo. Your surgeon will discuss the timeline with you at your visits and see you multiple times to follow-up as you prepare to return to sports.
Typically you will start physical therapy the week after surgery. In some cases, you will have a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine for use immediately after surgery.
There are some cases where "joint-preserving" techniques are no longer recommended. If that is the case we have excellent joint arthroplasty surgeons at Excel who can discuss total or partial joint replacement surgery. Our joint surgeons include Michael N. Fehm, MD and Grayson P. Connors, DO.
For many injuries, physical therapy, steroid injections, viscosupplementation, or platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections may help to alleviate some or all of your pain. It is best to discuss these options with your surgeon.
Well, yes! Sort of, this is the basis for MACI procedure, but it is applicable for a specific patient-type and specific cartilage injury. Your surgeon will discuss if your injury is amenable to this type of procedure. 

Give us a call at 781.782.1337

Here at Excel, we do our very best to accommodate urgent
appointments, most can be seen same day!

Meet the Doctors