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Chondromalacia

Hi. Im  30 years old and suffering from knees pains for about  6 months. I have consulted bone specialist and he said it is Chondromalacia. The knees are not swollened. He prescribed me with Glucosamine and taught me a basic of knees strenghthening physiotheraphy. In addition, he said its unnecessary for me to have a X-Ray screening and surgery as the symptom is mild. FYI, I am not active athlete and has an active routine activity. My question is:

a. Can it be fully recovered? How long it will recover??
b. Any alternative medical ???
c, Wjhat are the do's and dont's?

Please reply asap..   MANY THANKS
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483733 tn?1326798446
I would see your primary care doctor and insist on a complete bloodwork work up and xrays to be sure that is what you are dealing with.  I found this information that you may find helpful:

The cartilage under your kneecap (patella) is a natural shock absorber. But it doesn't come with a lifetime guarantee. Overuse, injury or other factors may lead to a condition known as chondromalacia patella — a general term indicating damage to the cartilage under your kneecap. A more accurate term for chondromalacia patella is patellofemoral pain.

Simple treatments — such as rest and ice — often help, but sometimes you may need physical therapy or even surgery to ease patellofemoral pain.

Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of patellofemoral pain include:

A dull, achy pain in the front of your knee
Increased pain when you walk up or down stairs (the most common symptom)
Pain in your knee when kneeling or squatting
Knee pain after sitting for long periods of time
A grating or grinding sensation when you extend your knee
Knee stiffness
When to see your doctor
If the knee pain isn't severe or disabling, treat it yourself with rest and cold packs. If the pain doesn't improve within a few days, consult your doctor.

Seek medical care immediately if:

Your knee hurts and doesn't function properly after an injury
Your knee hurts, even when you're not putting weight on it
You have knee pain after a popping sound or snapping sensation
Your knee locks rigidly in one position, or your kneecap is visibly out of place
Your knee seems unusually loose or unstable when you put weight on it
Your knee is swollen
The pain is associated with fever, chills or redness around the joint
Causes
In adolescents and young adults, patellofemoral pain often is caused by muscle weakness, overuse or injury. Sometimes an unusual alignment of the kneecap is responsible. For older adults, patellofemoral pain may be related to arthritis of the knee joint — which causes cartilage to lose its normal shock-absorbing ability. Weak thigh and hip muscles or flat feet also may contribute to the pain. Even something as simple as worn-out or ill-fitting shoes can contribute to patellofemoral pain.

Risk factors
Runners and other people who routinely do a lot of exercise involving their lower legs may have a greater risk of developing patellofemoral pain. And, women are more likely to develop this condition than are men.

Other risk factors for developing patellofemoral pain include:

Weakness of hip muscles, especially the muscles on the outside of the hip (hip abductors)
Malalignment of the lower extremity
Trauma to the kneecap, such as a dislocation or fracture
Wearing worn-out shoes or shoes that don't fit properly
Complications
Patellofemoral pain can lead to difficulty with routine activities, such as squatting and climbing stairs.
Tests and diagnosis
Diagnosis is based primarily on your symptoms and a physical exam. Tell your doctor about your typical activities and any recent changes to your routine. To gauge your knee's strength and alignment, your doctor may ask you to walk, jump, squat or move your knee in certain ways. He or she may detect tenderness or feel a grinding sensation below your kneecap when you extend your knee.

Your doctor may recommend X-rays or other imaging tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, to help determine the cause of your knee pain. If your symptoms are severe, a minor surgical procedure known as arthroscopy may be helpful in treating this condition.

Treatments and drugs
Treatment of patellofemoral pain often begins with simple measures:

Rest your knee as much as possible.
Avoid any activities that increase the pain , such as climbing stairs.
If needed, take pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others).
Exercises and therapy
To promote your recovery, your doctor may recommend specific exercises or physical therapy to strengthen the muscles that support your knees and control limb alignment, such as your quadriceps, hamstrings and the muscles around your hips (especially the hip abductors). In other cases, knee braces or arch supports may be recommended.

When you exercise, choose activities that go easy on your knees, such as bicycling and swimming. Your physical therapist may show you how to tape your knee to reduce pain and enhance your ability to exercise. You may be able to return to activities such as running, but you may need to reduce the number of miles you run until it doesn't hurt during or after exercise. Icing after exercise may be especially helpful.

Don't rush back to activity, however. It can take six weeks or more before you begin to feel better.

Types of surgery
If these measures aren't effective, in rare cases surgery may be an option.

Arthroscopy. During this procedure, the doctor inserts an arthroscope — a pencil-thin device equipped with a camera lens and light — into your knee through a tiny incision. Surgical instruments are passed through the arthroscope to remove fragments of damaged cartilage.
Realignment. In more severe cases, a surgeon may need to operate on your knee to realign the angle of the kneecap or relieve pressure on the cartilage.
Prevention
Sometimes knee pain just happens. But certain steps may help prevent the pain.

Maintain strength. Strong quadriceps and hip abductor muscles help keep your knee balanced during activity.
Think alignment and technique. Ask your doctor or physical therapist about flexibility and strength exercises to optimize your technique for jumping, running and pivoting — and to help the patella track properly in its groove. Especially important is exercise for your outer hip muscles to prevent your knee from caving inward when you squat, land from a jump, or step down from a step.
Lose excess pounds. If you're overweight, losing the extra weight relieves stress on your knees.
Warm up. Before running or any other exercise, warm up with five minutes or so of light activity.
Stretch. Promote flexibility with gentle stretching exercises.
Increase intensity gradually. Avoid sudden changes in the intensity of your workouts.
Practice shoe smarts. Make sure your shoes fit well and provide good shock absorption. If you have flat feet, consider shoe inserts.
It's also important to listen to your body. If your knee hurts, stop what you're doing. Pushing yourself may only lead to injury.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Can I wear any knees supporter to support my walking ????
Helpful - 0
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