Sometimes physical therapy, and more rarely, surgery, is recommended.
Over time, the cartilage can wear down and lead to pain.
This can put further stress on the knee, softening to the cartilage over time.
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Age
While chondromalacia can affect people of all ages, it typically affects teenagers and young adults.
This age group is also more likely to be active.
Injury
A dislocation, fracture, or other injury to the kneecap can cause chondromalacia.
Risk Factors
Some people have a higher chance of developing chondromalacia.
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 arent helping to manage pain in your knee.
Hyaluronan injectionsalso called viscosupplementationmay 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.
Together, these approaches are calledcomplementary and alternative medicine(CAM).
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.
More studies are needed to see how HPLT might help.
Chondromalacia rarely requires long-term treatment.
In mild to moderate cases, you might 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.
Talk to your healthcare provider about the activities and exercises it’s possible for you to do.
Talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist about how exercises can help to relieve chondromalacia pain and symptoms.
It’s important to first reduce the inflammation and avoid stressor activities.
Your healthcare provider can help to ensure you have the right diagnosis and treatment for moving forward.
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