The Cartilage Cushions
Slicker than ice sliding on ice
Every joint in your body has a secret surface: a glassy-smooth coating called hyaline cartilage, covering the ends of the bones. It's slicker than ice sliding on ice â your joints' built-in non-stick pan!
Cartilage coating a bone end
Real anatomy picture coming soon
Real anatomy photo spot: the smooth cartilage cap on the end of a bone
Slicker than ice
When scientists measure the friction of healthy cartilage, they find it's about FOUR times slipperier than ice sliding on ice! That's why your knee can bend millions of times without wearing out â the cartilage lets the bones glide almost friction-free.
The hidden weakness
Cartilage has no nerves and no blood vessels feeding it. That's great â you never feel it working â but it also means cartilage can't heal well when it's damaged. It's the one part of a joint that can't repair itself. That's why protecting your joints matters from when you're small.
Mr. Bones says: I'm a fictional skeleton, not a doctor! This is for learning and fun. If anything hurts, stop and tell a grown-up you trust.
