Youth athletes. College players. Energetic exercisers. Spirited seniors. Whether you're a "weekend warrior" or a fitness fanatic, the more active you are in sports and exercise, the greater the possibility of getting injured.

From the delicate bones in your hands to the tendons in your feet -- and all the ligaments, cartilage, muscles and joints in between -- the Orthopedic Center at Bryn Mawr Hospital in the Philadelphia suburbs can get you back on track should an injury put you on the sidelines.

"We take care of children in youth leagues, college athletes, and retirees who play golf and tennis," says William D. Emper, M.D., orthopedic surgeon. "From the highly competitive to those who just want to stay active, we treat a whole range of athletes."

If you are injured, the important first step is to seek medical attention from a physician or trainer. Many problems can be resolved with non-operative treatments, such as medications, splinting, taping, and physical therapy. Should you need surgery, however, Bryn Mawr's orthopedists are specialists in getting athletes back to active.

This treatment utilizes techniques to preserve, repair, and replace damaged knee cartilage. "The significant advantage to these new techniques is that natural biological methods are used instead of replacing the damaged knee cartilage with metal and plastic," says Kevin B. Freedman, M.D., medical director of the Bryn Mawr Hospital Cartilage Restoration Program.

Active people under age 50 who have cartilage injuries may be good candidates for cartilage restoration. Treatment depends on the extent of the damage, the patient's age, and level of activity.

"For young and active patients," Dr. Freedman says, "cartilage restoration is a promising treatment that can halt further degeneration and hopefully eliminate the need for additional surgery or knee replacement in the future."

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