Knee-related injuries and medical conditions are among the common reasons many people visit their doctors nowadays. Some people may consider knee pain as a minor problem, but it can lead to serious discomfort and acute disability, depending on the severity of the damage. Several knee injuries happen due to chronic overuse, alignment problems, active sports, failure to warm up and stretch before exercise, or even daily household chores that would require extra physical effort. Other knee-related problems can also result from trauma, such as a car accident, a fall or a direct blow to your knee, as well as due to medical conditions such as arthritis, gout or chondromalacia.
Much has been said about arthritis and gout. But what about chondromalacia? Is this a new type of malady? What causes it and who gets affected by it? Chondromalacia is a knee-joint condition that needs serious attention and requires proper treatment.
Chondromalacia of the patella, also called patellofemoral pain, is a term that refers to pain arising between the patella (kneecap) and the underlying thighbone (femur). The softening of the cartilage beneath the kneecap results in small areas of breakdown and pain around the knee. Instead of gliding smoothly over the knee, the patella rubs against the thighbone everytime the knee moves. These changes vary from mild to total erosion of the cartilage.
This condition is usually prevalent among young women, especially those who have a slight misalignment of the kneecap. Teenage girls are usually at high risk because the knee cartilage is prone to excessive and uneven pressure brought upon by the physiological changes that comes with the growth spurts of puberty. Adults over 40 may develop this condition as part of the wear-and-tear process, possibly resulting in arthritis of the kneecap or osteoarthrities of the knee joint. chondromalacia may also be caused by accidents and trauma, or abnormal pressures on the knee-joint, as experienced by athletes.
Pain and swelling caused by chondromalacia of the patella are felt in the front or inside of the knee. The kneepain becomes worse when seated for long periods, such as while getting up from a chair and when climbing stairs. A grating or grinding sensation may be noticed everytime the knee is extended or straightened.
Most of the time, conservative treatments for chondromalacia are exercise programs designed to strengthen the muscles around the knee and to bring back the normal alignment of the knee cap. These exercises must be approved by a physical therapist to selectively build the thigh muscles (the quads) and realign the knee cap.
A great number of patients usually improve with conservative treatment alone and without much further need for other therapy. Only a small number of cases where kneepain persists or worsens would knee joint surgery be required. While it may not be possible to avoid chondromalacia, certain measures can be taken to reduce the risk of trauma and injuries, as well as abnormal stress on the knee. Rehabilitation programs focusing on flexibilty and strength training of the muscles that control your kneecaps can greatly help in the prevention of its development in many cases. Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and other arthritis pain relief medications may be prescribed to alleviate suffering from pain and inflammation.
I had an email last week from a relatively new runner asking who they should see for their knee pain. I asked if they twisted, fell, or jammed their knee or if it was just a wear and tear injury? They confided that as they increased their mileage and distance, their knee pain started to increase. New shoes helped, but didn't fix their nagging pain. Sounds like a biomechanical problem to me! But it could still be a traumatic injury they can't remember...especially if they were out dancing on tables on a Friday night ... Just kidding!
On a serious note, mechanically induced knee pain is very common in runners. A good analogy is that if you need a tire realignment on your car, the struts can wear out. Many people actually have no pain in their feet, but they are the cause of their knee symptoms.
The best way to assess a runner's knee problem is to start with a sports medicine orthopedist who can rule-out a primary knee problem, like a tear in the meniscus (cartilage), ligaments or tendons. If a primary knee problem is ruled-out, but you just keep having this nagging pain; or if your tendonitis keeps recurring in spite of being compliant with physical therapy and rest; it's time to look elsewhere for the cause.
Your feet affect the function of all their contiguous structures or in English, everything they are connected to. Yes, your feet can even cause back and neck pain!
How? Your feet affect your postural control. Postural control is the ability to maintain the body's center of mass over the supportive foot, a.k.a. being able to keep your balance. Often, balance or proprioception is lost in patients with chronic foot and ankle instability from an underlying congenital foot type. This leads to lack of postural control which leads to knee, hip and back pain a.k.a. postural symptoms. Many studies have concluded that a functional orthotic reduces postural sway and improves stability, therefore reduces further injury in patients with congenital or acquired foot and ankle instability.
How is biomechanical knee pain treated? A complete biomechancial exam can help to assess how to realign your feet and lower extremities. Functional orthotics can be made to precisely fix your foot deformities and functional abnormalities.
Bottom line, if your knee pain is chronic and you have ruled out a primary knee problem, look to your support structures known as your feet.
Both Joan & Dr Marybeth Crane are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Joan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Cure Anxiety, Breast Enlargements and Cure Anxiety. If you are having severe pains to your knees.Want to read more related articles??? Grab them here:. Joan's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
Dr Marybeth Crane has sinced written about articles on various topics from . Pain slowing down your run? Dr Marybeth Crane is a board certified foot and ankle surgeon and a veteran marathon running podiatrist. For a copy of her FREE BOOK or more information on running injuries, she can be reached at her. Dr Marybeth Crane's top article . to your Favourites.