Cartilage & fascia
How each pad, rim or sheet of connective tissue works, how it wears or tears, how it recovers, and what it connects to.
Shoulder
- Shoulder labrum
The rim of fibrocartilage around the edge of the shoulder socket. What it is made of, what it adds to stability, how and in whom it tears, what scans show in shoulders without symptoms, and what studies found about healing.
Wrist & hand
- Triangular fibrocartilage complex
The disc and ligaments on the little-finger side of the wrist. What they are made of, how they share load and steady the forearm bones, how they wear and tear, and what studies found about healing.
Spine
- Intervertebral disc
The pads of fibrocartilage between the bones of the spine. What a disc is made of, how it carries load and takes in nutrients, how it changes with age, and what studies found about how it heals and adapts.
Hip
- Hip labrum
The rim of fibrocartilage around the edge of the hip socket. What it is made of, how it seals the joint, where and in whom it tears, how often scans show tears in hips without pain, and what studies found about healing.
Thigh
- Iliotibial band
The long band of tough tissue down the outer thigh, from the hip bone to the shin. How it is built and anchored, what it does at the hip and knee, how it gets injured, and what studies found about stretching it.
Knee
- Articular cartilage
The thin, smooth layer that covers the ends of bones in a joint. What it is made of, how it carries load, how it gets damaged, why it heals slowly, and how it responds to use.
- Menisci of the knee
The two C-shaped pads of fibrocartilage between the thigh bone and shinbone. What they are made of, how they spread load, who tears them, and what studies found about how they heal.
Foot & ankle
- Plantar fascia
The band of tough tissue along the sole, from the heel bone to the toes. How it holds up the arch, what walking and running ask of it, how it thickens or tears, and what studies found about how it changes.