Tips for those with chondromalacia patella

Chondromalacia patella is a problem with the cartilage of the patella, a circumferential bone located in the front of the knee. Due to anatomical variations, it affects women proportionally more than men and is caused by excessive load on the front of the knee.

Here are some tips for those with this condition!

Avoid sitting for too long.

Sitting for long periods with your knee bent overloads the front of your knee, which can be harmful for those with chondromalacia patella. Therefore, it's best to avoid it! If you have to sit for long periods, try stretching your knee periodically to relieve the strain.

Avoid going up and down stairs.

Going up and down stairs are activities that can cause pain in those who have chondromalacia patella, especially going down, as there is a significant overload on the knee extensor mechanism during the exercise.

Avoid wearing high heels.

Wearing high heels also overloads the knee's extensor mechanism, which can cause pain in patients with chondromalacia. Therefore, their use should be avoided.

Strengthen your muscles

Maintaining strong muscles is a crucial tip for patients with chondromalacia patella. Strengthening should be done for all muscles of the trunk and lower limbs, with an emphasis on the abdominal and lumbar muscles, hip abductors and adductors, and knee flexors and extensors.

Stretch your muscles.

Muscle stretching also has a very positive impact on patients with chondromalacia patella, especially the posterior muscles of the lower limb, such as the hamstrings and triceps surae.

Avoid impact exercises.

Lower limb impact exercises, especially those involving jumping, such as basketball and volleyball, cause considerable strain on the joint between the patella and femur, which can worsen the pain in patients with chondromalacia.

Control your body weight.

Overweight and obesity are known factors that can worsen the pain in patients with patellar cartilage wear, both due to the mechanical overload and the systemic inflammatory process caused by obesity.

Find an orthopedist.

An orthopedic doctor is a professional qualified to diagnose and guide the treatment of patients complaining of pain in the front of the knee, which can be the main symptom of those with chondromalacia patella.

Follow up with a physiotherapist.

A physical therapist is the best professional to rehabilitate patients with chondromalacia patella. It's important to remember that in most cases, chondromalacia treatment is non-surgical, but rather through physical therapy rehabilitation.

Follow up with a Physical Education professional.

Following muscle strengthening with a Physical Education professional is very important both to avoid injuries resulting from exercise and to maintain adequate physical conditioning.

The recommendations found in this post should be followed primarily when the patient is experiencing a pain crisis, when the inflammatory process in the joint is more intense. The goal of chondromalacia treatment is to restore the patient's quality of life so they can perform all their desired activities.