My mother tore her knee cartilage in a car accident a long time ago and it still hurts her. She had physio after but the therapist said the cartilage doesn’t always heal well. Is this true?

Cartilage is tough, but flexible body tissue that connects the joints. It needs to be tough to do its job. But, because of make-up of the tissue (very little blood supply), once it has torn, it is difficult for cartilage to heal properly.

Has your mother seen a surgeon about possibly having surgery to repair the cartilage? There are some options that are available for this type of repair, but a lot depends on what the injury actually is, how severe it is, and even the level of activity of the patient.