The Guardian has an interesting article about cartilage regeneration in joints. Here is an except:
"Contrary to popular opinion, humans can regrow cartilage in their joints, researchers have found. Experts hope the research could lead to new treatments for a common type of arthritis.Osteoarthritis, in which joints become painful and stiff, is the most common form of arthritis and is thought to cause pain in about 8.5 million people in the UK alone. It is caused by a breakdown in the cartilage that protects the ends of the bones, as well as the growth of new bone around the joint as the body tries to repair the damage.
It has long been thought that adult humans are unable to produce new cartilage, unlike a number of animals, including salamanders, which can not only repair damage to joints but grow whole new limbs."
What I've found in practice is that x-ray findings don't always correspond to pain. If you went out and x-rayed 100 random people on the street, more people would have evidence of osteoarthritis on film but not report any pain. In this group of assymptomatic people, perhaps their cartilage is able to repair better.
What can osteopathy do for osteoarthritis? We try to deload the affected joint by improving mobility in the joints above and below, decrease the swelling, improve blood flow to help the body repair the affected joint, and finally, give appropriate exercise and other management strategies to help you continue in the activities you enjoy, eg gardening.