Damaged cartilage has a low potential for self-repair. Failure to take actions to stimulate this process most often leads to the deepening of the lesion and exacerbation of pain. The indications for surgical treatment are primarily cartilage defects reaching the bones or cartilage and bone defects in young active people. Cartilage repair is to prevent secondary osteoarthritis in this case. In the elderly and in inactive people with extensive cartilage damage caused by degenerative changes, conservative analgesic treatment or finally joint arthroplasty is proposed.