The substance that is affected most by wear and tear is the cartilage of the joints. This abrasion is a natural result of the aging process, which begins sometime after we turn thirty and progresses for the rest of our lives: After we reach seventy, practically everyone has suffered some loss of cartilage. Certain factors are favorable for premature abrasion of cartilage, in particular an imbalance between maximum stress and physical strain, but also injuries, damage caused by accidents, axillary malformations, or an operation. If the degenerative arthritis is in an advanced stage, a deformity of the joint can develop. In addition, further strain leads to irritation and effusion, and also can cause serious infections in the affected joint. At this point the typical arthritic ailments can become unbearable - reduced maximum stress, limited mobility and pain. In extreme cases, degenerative arthritis can eventually result in the complete loss of cartilage in the joint.

For a long time, the fundamental therapy for degenerative arthritis was the administration of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications. As a rule, these do provide temporary relief of the symptoms. However, they cannot stop the destruction of the cartilage and subsequently cannot eliminate the cause of pain and restriction of movement. In addition, there is always the danger of side effects with a treatment involving medication.

Unlike the customary symptomatic treatment strategy, modern degenerative arthritis therapy is based on an intensive strengthening and build-up of the cartilage of the joint. Thanks to the great progress in research involving the mechanisms and causes of abrasion in the cartilage of the joints, we know cartilage that is not completely destroyed possesses mechanisms for regeneration. If these mechanisms are activated, the symptoms can be alleviated for a long time and the progress of degenerative arthritis in the cartilage can be stopped.

• Interleukin therapy employs substances from the patient's body, so-called anti-Interleukins, which are isolated in the patient's blood, reproduced in a laboratory, and then injected into the affected joint. They neutralize "on the spot" the substances (Interleukins) that, as we now know, play a decisive role in the process of the destruction of cartilage.
• The Pulsed Signal Therapy (PST) employs magnetic impulses, which activate the regeneration of the cartilage cells. Both methods have one thing in common: They attack the cause of the arthritic process, and thus they not only attack the acute infection, but they also stop the progressing destruction of the cartilage of the joint.
• Both methods are very well tolerated and do not have any side effects.
• A prerequisite for the success of the treatment is that there are still intact cartilage cells, although the favorable effects of this therapy last longer the earlier the treatment is begun (stage I to III).

Not only degenerative changes or infective processes, but also direct injuries can cause damage to cartilage in the joints. Another innovative method of treatment is OATS, where healthy cartilage tissues are transplanted into the damaged cartilage of the joint. Up until this point, this method has only been used for isolated cartilage damage as a result of (sport) injuries. However, inefficiently treated cartilage defects can lead to premature degenerative arthritis in many cases – in this case, cartilage transplantation can be a valuable option.