IntroductionSport is regularly subjected to high joint stresses leading to articular cartilage diseases either traumatic or micro-traumatic even early osteoarthritis, whose site is based on the type of solicitation. Starting from the premise that the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of viscosupplementation for osteoarthritis of the knee are applicable to other joint sites, we have expanded our indications, certainly at the ankle and hip joints but also less traditional: shoulder, elbow, acromioclavicular, subtalar, wrist, trapeziometacarpal. We tried to evaluate the efficacy of hyaluronic acid through a study covering 10years of practice in our unit. MethodRetrospective descriptive analysis of the efficacy of viscosupplementation with a questionnaire assessing pain, sport/professional level, daily relief and satisfaction. Definition of response criteria on pain relief, and maintaining the earlier sport/professional levels. ResultsEighty-four protocols were performed, distributed as follows: 17 shoulders, 19 acromioclavicular, 15 elbows, 12 trapeziometacarpal, 12 subtalar and nine wrists. Seventy-five patients had a traumatic or microtraumatic cartilage injury, five a distal lysis of the clavicle, two a painful sequelae of osteochondritis of the elbow, two an osteochondromatosis of the elbow. No radiological staging has been established. The average age of patients was 39.32 years (±14.38), 70% male, 67.9% had a athlete profile with high joint solicitation. The overall efficiency was 60.71% for all sites (shoulder 58.82%, acromioclavicular 68.42%, elbow 53.33%, trapeziometacarpal 91.67%, subtalar 41.67%, 44, wrist 44%). All patients who were treated for lysis of the distal clavicle was relieved, none of the patients with painful sequelae of osteochondritis and only one out of two cases of osteochondromatosis. In the shoulder and elbow, only joint where analysis was possible, the continuation of an activity using painful joint causes a loss of efficacy (P=0.0595, P=0.028). DiscussionThis study provides encouraging results despite its low level of evidence and its low number of patient. In the acromioclavicular joint, the subtalar and wrist it is a unique contribution in the literature. Our results support those of the literature on shoulder and trapeziometacarpal but are in stark contrast to the only study available to the elbow. ConclusionThis study is an initial assessment of a possible scope of viscosupplementation in the small joints in response to thin existing armamentarium. The results seem interesting and should be confirmed by studies of the highest level of evidence and the wider population.