Cartilage injuries in athletes occur as a result of high mechanical stress, sudden directional changes, and repetitive microtrauma, significantly affecting both performance and career longevity. Due to the avascular structure of cartilage tissue, its regenerative capacity is limited, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the gold standard in diagnosis, while arthroscopy remains the most reliable method for both diagnosis and treatment planning. Conservative management or microfracture may be preferred for small lesions, whereas advanced cases often require biological reconstruction techniques such as osteochondral autograft transplantation (mosaicplasty), autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI/MACI), or osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA). Mosaicplasty allows for rapid return to sport, ACI offers superior longterm functional outcomes, and OCA is effective in large or complex defects. Although there is no single ideal method, proper surgical selection, careful rehabilitation, and preventive approaches form the cornerstone of successful treatment.