A method for classifying the quality of a repair response after injury to a joint of a human or veterinary subject, comprising: determining mRNA expression levels of a plurality of genes expressed in a tissue sample taken from an intra-articular region of the joint, the plurality of genes comprising at least the genes listed in TABLE 1, TABLE 2 and TABLE 3; and calculating a reparative index score based on the mRNA expression levels of the plurality of genes, wherein calculating the reparative index score comprises: comparing the mRNA expression levels with first standard expression levels of the plurality of genes and second standard expression levels of the plurality of genes, wherein the first standard expression levels are known to be indicative of a reparative profile and wherein the second standard expression levels are known to be indicative of a non-reparative profile; assigning a sub-score for each of the plurality of genes, wherein the sub-score is a measure of the mRNA expression level of that gene relative to the first standard expression level and the second standard expression level for that gene, and summing the sub-scores to obtain the reparative index score; wherein the reparative index score is indicative of the quality of the repair process, and wherein the reparative index score is indicative of a non-reparative profile if the reparative index score is indicative of an elevated mRNA expression level of each of the plurality of genes. determining mRNA expression levels of a plurality of genes expressed in a tissue sample taken from an intra-articular region of the joint, the plurality of genes comprising at least the genes listed in TABLE 1, TABLE 2 and TABLE 3; and calculating a reparative index score based on the mRNA expression levels of the plurality of genes, wherein calculating the reparative index score comprises: comparing the mRNA expression levels with first standard expression levels of the plurality of genes and second standard expression levels of the plurality of genes, wherein the first standard expression levels are known to be indicative of a reparative profile and wherein the second standard expression levels are known to be indicative of a non-reparative profile; assigning a sub-score for each of the plurality of genes, wherein the sub-score is a measure of the mRNA expression level of that gene relative to the first standard expression level and the second standard expression level for that gene, and summing the sub-scores to obtain the reparative index score; wherein the reparative index score is indicative of the quality of the repair process, and wherein the reparative index score is indicative of a non-reparative profile if the reparative index score is indicative of an elevated mRNA expression level of each of the plurality of genes. comparing the mRNA expression levels with first standard expression levels of the plurality of genes and second standard expression levels of the plurality of genes, wherein the first standard expression levels are known to be indicative of a reparative profile and wherein the second standard expression levels are known to be indicative of a non-reparative profile; assigning a sub-score for each of the plurality of genes, wherein the sub-score is a measure of the mRNA expression level of that gene relative to the first standard expression level and the second standard expression level for that gene, and summing the sub-scores to obtain the reparative index score; wherein the reparative index score is indicative of the quality of the repair process, and wherein the reparative index score is indicative of a non-reparative profile if the reparative index score is indicative of an elevated mRNA expression level of each of the plurality of genes.