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What happens if there was no cartilage?
Cartilage is what lines the articular surfaces of your joints.  There are 2 different types of cartilage; fibrous and hyaline. Fibrous cartilage is thick and dense, and usually contributes to making a joint capsule (in the knee the meniscus is made up of fibrous cartilage). Hyaline cartilage is the thin, smooth cartilage that actually lines the articular surfaces within the knee joint. Without this cartilage, the bones that make up the joint would rub directly on each other and would grind away, ultimately leading to a compromised, unstable joint.
Bones would rub together, causing excruciating pain.


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