Types of cartilage – Level 2 Sport BTEC Revision

The human body contains three main types of cartilage: hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, and elastic cartilage.
Each type has unique characteristics and functions, playing a key role in the body’s structure and movements.

Hyaline cartilage is the most common type found in the body.
It is semi-transparent, bluish-white in appearance and has a smooth surface.
Its primary function is to support and reinforce structures, as well as providing a smooth surface for the movement of joints.
Key places you will find hyaline cartilage include the ends of long bones, the rib cage, the larynx, and the trachea.

Fibrocartilage is the strongest and most durable type of cartilage.
Its dense interwoven collagen fibres give it excellent shock-absorbing properties.
It is commonly found in areas where resistance to stress and strain are crucial, such as between the discs of the spinal column and in the knee joint (the meniscus).

Elastic cartilage is characterised by its flexibility.
It contains elastic fibres in its matrix, which allow for repeated bending and stretching without damage.
Notable locations of this type of cartilage include the outer ear (auricle) and the epiglottis, a flap of cartilage in the throat that prevents food from entering the windpipe during swallowing.

Understanding the role and properties of each type of cartilage is beneficial in sports performance for injury prevention, care, and recovery.
For example, understanding that the hyaline cartilage allows smooth joint movement can inform training methods to maintain healthy joints.
Knowledge about the shock-absorbing fibrocartilage helps inform routines to prevent injuries, especially in high-impact sports.
The knowledge of the flexibility of elastic cartilage assists in understanding body movements and flexibility, thereby informing training strategies and technique corrections.