Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesRisk FactorsTreatmentPreventionFAQ
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Risk Factors
Treatment
Prevention
FAQ
Chondromalaciapatella, also known as runner’s knee, is a knee condition that can cause pain and grinding when the knee is flexed. It’s due to the breakdown in the cartilage on the undersurface of thekneecap(patella) that causes bones to rub against each other. Overuse (especially from running or cycling), trauma, such as a fracture, or a misalignment of thekneecapand femur can all cause chondromalacia.
Most of the time you can treat chondromalacia with rest and over-the-counter pain medication such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Sometimes physical therapy, and more rarely, surgery, is recommended.
This article discusses more about what causes chondromalacia, the range of treatment options, and how to prevent it from occurring.
praetorianphoto / Getty Images.
Chondromalacia symptoms can include swelling or grinding feeling in the knee, but the hallmark symptom is knee pain. It may feel worse:
Many different types of conditions and injuries can put stress on the knee, causing chondromalacia.
Flat Feet
Having flat feet is something you’re born with, and it means that the entire soles of the feet touch the floor. If you have flat feet, this can cause the shin and thigh bones to twist inwards, putting stress on the knee. Over time, the cartilage can wear down and lead to pain.
Arthritis
This degenerative disease can cause inflammation in the knee, causing it to become stiff and have a limited range of motion. This can put further stress on the knee, softening to the cartilage over time.
Age
While chondromalacia can affect people of all ages, it typically affects teenagers and young adults. Younger people are still growing, so at times there may be muscle imbalances that can put stress on the knee. This age group is also more likely to be active.
Injury
A dislocation, fracture, or other injury to the kneecap can cause chondromalacia.
Activity Level
People who frequently engage in activities that require constant movement of the knee, such as running and cycling, are more likely to develop a softening of the cartilage under the kneecap.
Some people have a higher chance of developing chondromalacia. They include:
Home remedies and lifestyle changes can generally be enough to relieve pain and stiffness for the chondromalacia symptoms associated with this condition, but sometimes surgery may be recommended.
Home Remedies
To reduce symptoms of chondromalacia and to help you recover more quickly, try:
Lifestyle Changes
When you are diagnosed with chondromalacia, some aspects of your life might have to change so you can manage symptoms and keep the condition from getting worse. Some strategies to treat chondromalacia include:
Medication
Over-the-counter medications that can treat pain and swelling associated with chondromalacia include:
If you experience significant pain and swelling, a healthcare provider might prescribe stronger versions of acetaminophen and NSAID pain relievers. They can also prescribe strong NSAID topical pain relievers.
Corticosteroid injections are another helpful option for managing pain and swelling from chondromalacia. These injections can deliver a quick pain relief option. They are often used with other pain relievers that aren’t helping to manage pain in your knee.
Hyaluronan injections—also called viscosupplementation—may be a longer-term solution. As a chondromalacia treatment, hyaluronan injections are given directly in the knee joint. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the synovial fluid. Synovial fluid is found in many of your joints and keeps them healthy and moving.
Can You Fix Chondromalacia?There are a number of treatment options for chondromalacia, including hyaluronan injections. A 2019 study looked at people with anterior knee and patellar cartilage injury (grades II or III). One group went to physical therapy for three months. The other group did too, but also had hyaluronan injections. Those receiving injections had less pain, better mobility, and reduced symptoms after six months.
Can You Fix Chondromalacia?
There are a number of treatment options for chondromalacia, including hyaluronan injections. A 2019 study looked at people with anterior knee and patellar cartilage injury (grades II or III). One group went to physical therapy for three months. The other group did too, but also had hyaluronan injections. Those receiving injections had less pain, better mobility, and reduced symptoms after six months.
Complementary and Alternative Medicines
Complementary therapies are those used along with standard medical treatments.Alternative therapies, on the other hand, are used instead of standard medical treatments. Together, these approaches are calledcomplementary and alternative medicine(CAM).
CAM therapies for chondromalacia include:
Surgeries and Procedures
A healthcare provider may order additional tests to further investigate the problem, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or X-ray. If the MRI shows you have a focal (small) area of cartilage damage beneath the patella, surgery may be recommended.
If the lesion has certain characteristics on the MRI, surgery can be used to clean out the affected area so there are no loose flaps of cartilage that may cause pain. If the lesion is in a particular location, healthcare providers can sometimes replace it with a healthy piece of cartilage, either from another part of the knee or from a donor.
Arthroscopic surgerystarts with examining the joint to look for the misalignment of the knee and then correcting it.This surgery involves using a small camera inserted into the joint with a small incision so that the surgeon can see inside the knee.
Some people have chondromalacia because their patella is misaligned. This means the patella does not sit in its groove correctly. One common procedure to address this is a lateral release.
A lateral release is usually done with a combination of arthroscopic and open techniques. This involves cutting some of the tight ligaments pulling the patella to release tension and allow for proper movement and position.
Chondromalacia and Laser TreatmentResearchers are looking into how high-powered laser therapy (HPLT) can help people with chondromalacia. One study of 44 people, divided into groups that received HPLT or a placebo, found laser treatment with exercise was safe and relieved pain but did not improve mobility. More studies are needed to see how HPLT might help.
Chondromalacia and Laser Treatment
Researchers are looking into how high-powered laser therapy (HPLT) can help people with chondromalacia. One study of 44 people, divided into groups that received HPLT or a placebo, found laser treatment with exercise was safe and relieved pain but did not improve mobility. More studies are needed to see how HPLT might help.
Fortunately, you can take steps to avoid placing stress on your knee that can lead to chondromalacia. Steps for preventing the condition from developing include:
Summary
Chondromalacia patella is a condition in which the cartilage on the underside of the kneecap softens, leading to pain. It occurs as a result of repeated physical activity, trauma, or misalignment that places stress on the kneecap.
Chondromalacia rarely requires long-term treatment. In mild to moderate cases, you can manage chondromalacia with rest, ice, and stretching. In more extreme cases, surgery may be recommended.
To prevent chondromalacia, remember to stretch your knee and do exercises to strengthen the muscles around it. Rest in between activities and wear supportive shoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answer will depend on the severity of your knee pain and the stage of any treatment or recovery. It’s a better strategy to rest a knee when chondromalacia is causing pain.Yet walking is a type of exercise that can strengthen your knee. Talk to your healthcare provider about the activities and exercises you can do.
Exercises to treat your knee pain may include quad sets, straight leg raises, hip strengthening and balance exercises, and leg stretches. Talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist about how exercises can help to relieve chondromalacia pain and symptoms.Learn MoreExercises to Strengthen the Hip Muscles
Exercises to treat your knee pain may include quad sets, straight leg raises, hip strengthening and balance exercises, and leg stretches. Talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist about how exercises can help to relieve chondromalacia pain and symptoms.
Learn MoreExercises to Strengthen the Hip Muscles
Learn MorePhysical Therapy for Knee Pain
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arthritis Foundation.Chondromalacia patella.Tahmasebi MN, Aghaghazvini L, Mirkarimi SS, Zehtab MJ, Sheidaie Z, Sharafatvaziri A.The Influence of Tibial Tuberosity-trochlear Groove Distance on Development of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2019 Jan;7(1):46-51. PMID:30805415Chen Z, Wu J, Wang X, Ren Z.The effect of foot orthoses for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Heliyon. 2022 Jun 6;8(6):e09656. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09656.Astur DC, Angelini FB, Santos MA, et al.Use of exogenous hyaluronic acid for the treatment of patellar chondropathy- a six-month randomized controlled trial.Rev Bras Ortop(Sao Paulo). 2019;54(5):549-555. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1697974National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Complementary, alternative, or integrative health: what’s in a name?Wilkerson R. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee arthroscopy.Fonseca LPRMD, Kawatake EH, Pochini AC.Lateral patellar retinacular release: changes over the last ten years.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;52(4):442-449. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.06.003Nouri F, Raeissadat SA, Eliaspour D, Rayegani SM, Rahimi MS, Movahedi B.Efficacy of High-Power Laser in Alleviating Pain and Improving Function of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.J Lasers Med Sci. 2019 Winter;10(1):37-43. doi:10.15171/jlms.2019.06.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Cedars-Sinai.Chondromalacia.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arthritis Foundation.Chondromalacia patella.Tahmasebi MN, Aghaghazvini L, Mirkarimi SS, Zehtab MJ, Sheidaie Z, Sharafatvaziri A.The Influence of Tibial Tuberosity-trochlear Groove Distance on Development of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2019 Jan;7(1):46-51. PMID:30805415Chen Z, Wu J, Wang X, Ren Z.The effect of foot orthoses for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Heliyon. 2022 Jun 6;8(6):e09656. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09656.Astur DC, Angelini FB, Santos MA, et al.Use of exogenous hyaluronic acid for the treatment of patellar chondropathy- a six-month randomized controlled trial.Rev Bras Ortop(Sao Paulo). 2019;54(5):549-555. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1697974National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Complementary, alternative, or integrative health: what’s in a name?Wilkerson R. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee arthroscopy.Fonseca LPRMD, Kawatake EH, Pochini AC.Lateral patellar retinacular release: changes over the last ten years.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;52(4):442-449. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.06.003Nouri F, Raeissadat SA, Eliaspour D, Rayegani SM, Rahimi MS, Movahedi B.Efficacy of High-Power Laser in Alleviating Pain and Improving Function of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.J Lasers Med Sci. 2019 Winter;10(1):37-43. doi:10.15171/jlms.2019.06.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Cedars-Sinai.Chondromalacia.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Arthritis Foundation.Chondromalacia patella.Tahmasebi MN, Aghaghazvini L, Mirkarimi SS, Zehtab MJ, Sheidaie Z, Sharafatvaziri A.The Influence of Tibial Tuberosity-trochlear Groove Distance on Development of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2019 Jan;7(1):46-51. PMID:30805415Chen Z, Wu J, Wang X, Ren Z.The effect of foot orthoses for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Heliyon. 2022 Jun 6;8(6):e09656. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09656.Astur DC, Angelini FB, Santos MA, et al.Use of exogenous hyaluronic acid for the treatment of patellar chondropathy- a six-month randomized controlled trial.Rev Bras Ortop(Sao Paulo). 2019;54(5):549-555. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1697974National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Complementary, alternative, or integrative health: what’s in a name?Wilkerson R. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee arthroscopy.Fonseca LPRMD, Kawatake EH, Pochini AC.Lateral patellar retinacular release: changes over the last ten years.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;52(4):442-449. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.06.003Nouri F, Raeissadat SA, Eliaspour D, Rayegani SM, Rahimi MS, Movahedi B.Efficacy of High-Power Laser in Alleviating Pain and Improving Function of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.J Lasers Med Sci. 2019 Winter;10(1):37-43. doi:10.15171/jlms.2019.06.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Cedars-Sinai.Chondromalacia.
Arthritis Foundation.Chondromalacia patella.
Tahmasebi MN, Aghaghazvini L, Mirkarimi SS, Zehtab MJ, Sheidaie Z, Sharafatvaziri A.The Influence of Tibial Tuberosity-trochlear Groove Distance on Development of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2019 Jan;7(1):46-51. PMID:30805415
Chen Z, Wu J, Wang X, Ren Z.The effect of foot orthoses for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Heliyon. 2022 Jun 6;8(6):e09656. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09656.
Astur DC, Angelini FB, Santos MA, et al.Use of exogenous hyaluronic acid for the treatment of patellar chondropathy- a six-month randomized controlled trial.Rev Bras Ortop(Sao Paulo). 2019;54(5):549-555. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1697974
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Complementary, alternative, or integrative health: what’s in a name?
Wilkerson R. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Knee arthroscopy.
Fonseca LPRMD, Kawatake EH, Pochini AC.Lateral patellar retinacular release: changes over the last ten years.Rev Bras Ortop. 2017;52(4):442-449. doi:10.1016/j.rboe.2017.06.003
Nouri F, Raeissadat SA, Eliaspour D, Rayegani SM, Rahimi MS, Movahedi B.Efficacy of High-Power Laser in Alleviating Pain and Improving Function of Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.J Lasers Med Sci. 2019 Winter;10(1):37-43. doi:10.15171/jlms.2019.06.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.
Cedars-Sinai.Chondromalacia.
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