Joint injuries are very common, especially among young and active adults. Such injuries often cause articular cartilage inflammation and concurrent or ensuing cartilage tears. These tears seldom heal completely and, thus, they predispose to the onset of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Currently, there is no effective treatment for this, thus, prevention would be the most cost-effective option considering they affect young adults. The aim of this project is to develop a computational mechanistic model for predicting the onset and early development of the disease. The model will be validated against laboratory models of cartilage injury. This project is conducted at the University of Eastern Finland in close collaboration with Nordic and North American universities. This project also provides new insights into the effects of cartilage injuries on tissue health, and it will help in the development of new preventive measures for the disease.

2023

2027