Chondromalacia patella
DEFINITION
The cartilage under your kneecap is a natural shock absorber. Overuse, injury or other factors may lead to a condition known as chondromalacia patella (kon-droh-muh-LAY-shuh puh-TEL-uh) — a general term indicating damage to the cartilage under your kneecap. A more accurate term for chondromalacia patella is patellofemoral (puh-tel-o-FEM-uh-rul) pain syndrome.
The most common symptom is knee pain that increases when you walk up or down stairs. Simple treatments — such as rest and ice — often help, but sometimes physical therapy or even surgery is needed to ease patellofemoral pain.
CAUSES
Doctors aren’t certain what actually causes patellofemoral pain syndrome, but it’s been associated with:
- Overuse. Repetitive stress on your knee joint — such as that sustained during running or jumping sports — may result in patellofemoral pain.
- Poor control of your muscles. Patellofemoral pain can occur when the muscles around your hip and knee don’t function well to maintain proper tracking of your kneecap.
- Injury. Trauma to the kneecap, such as a dislocation or fracture, has been linked to patellofemoral pain syndrome.
SYMPTOMS
Patellofemoral pain syndrome usually causes a dull, aching pain in the front of your knee. This pain can be aggravated when you:
- Walk up or down stairs
- Kneel or squat
- Sit with a bent knee for long periods of time
When to see your doctor
If the knee pain doesn’t improve within a few days, consult your doctor.
