Chondromalacia patellae is a condition affecting the knee cap (also known as the patella bone) at the knee joint which results because the cartilage of the knee cap softens and undergoes wear and tear.
Pain & crepitus are most often experienced in and around the knee cap. You may experience difficulty in walking, running, climbing or descending stairs due to pain. This condition is seen more commonly in women than in men.
How does chondromalacia patellae occur?
- The positional fault of the knee cap
- Steroid injection at the knee leading to weakening of the articular cartilage
- Osteoarthritis at the knee joint
- Trauma
- Post-surgical knee immobilization
- Obesity
- Overuse injuries, usually seen in athletes
symptoms:-
Anterior knee pain is the most common chief complaint of patients with chondromalacia. This pain is usually made worse with activities that increase the stress on the patellofemoral joint, for example, stair climbing, squatting, and running.
What activities must I avoid and for how long?
The best treatment is to avoid activities that compress the knee cap on the joint. This means avoiding going up and down the stairs and hills, deep knee bends(squats), kneeling, step aerobics, and high impact exercises(jumping, sprinting, etc). Do not wear high-heeled shoes. Do not exercise sitting on the edge of the table lifting leg weights (knee extension).
Sports that aggravate chondromalacia patella are:
- Volleyball
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Distance running
- Raquet-ball
- Squash
- Weight lifting
- Occasionally cycling
How can you prevent it?
In regular individuals or athletes, an exercise program to maintain on the overall leg strength and mobility should help in preventing this problem. In athletes, sports specific activities leading to increased wear and tear of knee cap should be examined and corrected by the appropriate coaches/trainers.
How Physio helps?
A Physiotherapy treatment program is based on correcting the mechanics of the knee and help in reducing pain and disability.
Are pain medications not enough?
Pain medications will certainly help in reducing pain but will not help correct the faulty mechanics at your knee. This may lead to frequent recurrence of the problem. Therefore, physiotherapy becomes an important part of the treatment.
What does the treatment process involve?
The treatment process includes correction of certain lifestyle factors affecting pain (weight, daily activities, footwear and many more). A combination of electrotherapy, Kinesiotaping and soft tissue mobilisation/dry needling is done along with neuromuscular retraining exercises.
What kind of knee support can you use?
Elastic knee cap with a small opening in the front for the knee cap
What immediate treatment can I do to reduce pain/ swelling?
Icing over the front of the knee joint for 10-15 mins helps.
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