A joint preservation programme was launched by Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on Tuesday. The programme aims for early intervention and multi-modal therapies to help patients maintain joint function, avoid unnecessary surgeries and continue to lead active lives.May 20, 2025.

Addressing a press conference, doctors from Apollo Hospitals said osteoarthritis was a common joint disease worldwide, and one of the leading causes of disability.

A lot of factors contribute to osteoarthritis, but increasingly in India, many young people are beginning to suffer, they said.

Being able to diagnose joint problems early and offer solutions that include non-invasive and minimally invasive options and not just surgery, could help patients maintain mobility and overall joint function, they said.

The hospital’s joint preservation programme would attempt to use the body’s own abilities to heal, in order to keep the joint intact and ‘natural’, the doctors said. This could include cartilage replacement — removing damaged cartilage from the patient, growing it in the lab, and then filling in the defective portions of the joint with the lab-grown cartilage. Where possible, doctors said, they would aim at preserving the joint.

Doctors also said that the best way to preserve one’s joints was to maintain a healthy weight and an active lifestyle.

Senior consultants who took part in the programme include N. Chidambaranathan, Navaladi Shankar, K.P. Kosygan, Madan Mohan Reddy and Arun Kannan.

M. Senthilnathan, head coach, Tamil Nadu Men’s cricket team and head coach, MRF Pace Foundation, launched the initiative and highlighted the importance of the programme, especially in the context of sports injuries.