Movement Science and Sport Psychology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology


Introduction {#Sec1}
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Articular cartilage is a highly specialized and resilient connective tissue that functions to distribute physiological loads to the underlying bone without developing unacceptably high stresses^[@CR1]^. Cartilage function can be altered by degenerative changes in its structure and composition, often as a consequence of injury. Cartilage injuries may result in acute lesions, which without intervention may progress to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA)^[@CR2]^. Several techniques are available for cartilage repair, with recent research suggesting that pharmaceutical interventions may be effective in preventing the onset or halting the progression of PTOA if the injury is detected early^[@CR2],\ [@CR3]^. Thus, characterization of cartilage integrity and disease progression at the early disease stages is crucial for effective management and treatment of PTOA^[@CR2]^.

Current clinical diagnosis of joint pathologies often involves clinical examination, with radiographic (X-ray) examination and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conducted to verify diagnosis. This is then followed by repair surgery via arthroscopic intervention. Arthroscopy enables detailed description of lesion size and severity; however, the method is ineffective in detecting early degenerative changes in cartilage. In addition, the reproducibility of arthroscopy has been reported to be poor^[@CR4],\ [@CR5]^ due to its subjective nature. Thus, appropriate diagnostic methods capable of detecting the onset and progression of cartilage degeneration, both objectively and in real-time, is required.

Cartilage integrity can be characterized histologically using the Mankin grading system^[@CR6]^. Although this method is effective for overall tissue matrix characterization, it requires destructive (biopsy excision) and time-consuming protocols for histological evaluation of cartilage health. Direct application of this technique is t