My Knee Hurts: chondromalacia

[foibles]

So. Yesterday I reviewed a MRI of my front knee with my GP.
It seems I have Grade III chondromalacia probably brought on by patella-femoral-syndrome

Additionally, this has resulted in a 5cm Baker's Cyst.

I will be seeing a specialist.

My form is decent, my legs strong, but my flexability is not particularly great.

I've pulled out of this weekend's competition and have ceased practices until after the specialist consult.

I'm not looking for internet medical advice, but I am interested if anyone has had any experience with these conditions.

[noodle]

i went to the doctor immediately after my knee started to hurt on a consistent basis and was diagnosed with chondromalacia.

used a knee brace for a while, did some exercises, and stopped landing so hard on my front foot and it went away. hasn't been back in years.

sucks that it went so far for you. did you not feel it? mine hurt like crazy, and it was only just getting started.

[foibles]

Well. When it hurts I'd lay off for a bit. RICE it, etc.
Only once did it hurt like crazy. I'd assumed I just tweaked it.

Mostly just minor discomfort.

It would be ok for a year or so then something would inflame it again. Its been bugging me on and off for many years.

This last time RICE would lessen, but not completely alleviate the discomfort. After a 6 weeks of minor swelling and minor discomfort I felt this was more than garden variety knee discomfort from being a vet, and got the MRI.

[Dev]

I still have a Baker's cyst, caused pooled synovial fluid generated by a pair of lateral meniscus tears. Those tears were surgically repaired but the cyst hardened to the point where it could not be aspirated through a needle. I also had cartilage wear along the cap of my femur on that side from the bits of torn meniscus abrading it.

The best thing I was able to do for it was to, as stated in the article you linked, address the biomechanical factors causing the irritation and initial injury. In my case that involved altering my guard position to avoid loading up the back side of my left knee. Maybe work with a coach; essentially, determine what part of your form/technique is hurting you and take steps to train it out of yourself.

Strengthening the involved muscles to take the pressure off the joint, under the direction of a physical therapist or athletic trainer, also seemed to help me.

[dsclinef]

Earlier this year I went to the doctors and was diagnosed wit PFS. His recommendation was physical therapy.

Met with the physical therapist and she gave me a number of exercises to strengthen the knees as well as the core (strengthen the core to help keep the entire body aligned). Only a couple weeks of these exercises and the pain in my knees was gone. YMMV.

I am still doing the exercises and have added ankle weights to some of the exercises to keep my knees healthy and I have not had a flareup since.

[tchwojko]

How did you all deal with the knee injuries mentally? Any hesitancy or other non-physical issues to work through?

(Strained my knee during the Remenyik. (It was my first ever fencing injury and withdrawal from a tournament. Perhaps to inaugurate my first Vet-40 season?)

[Dev]

Personally, once I learned I could move again without (too much) pain, it was a matter of learning to trust it again. I had gotten unconsciously front-foot heavy as a result of compensating for the pain.

During the three or four months my surgeon had forbidden me from bouting, I did an awful lot of slow, deliberate, form-oriented footwork, paying a great deal of attention to weight distribution, balance, and body positioning.

[cfgrs]

I'm currently terrified about all of this. I've been having knee pains mainly when I'm sitting with my knee bent, and was suddenly hit for the first time with the same pain in the middle of a bout. I've taken ibuprofen before and after practices ever since, but started the process with my doctor. I've had x-rays which didn't show anything, and I'm supposed to have an MRI done but it hasn't been scheduled yet. With no medical coverage for any sort of physiotherapy, I'm somewhat concerned as to what will happen.

For now, I've just been trying to strengthen certain muscle groups that were perhaps neglected, which my kinesiology friends say can be a common cause for these sorts of pains. I was mainly doing a whole lot of squats with weights, now I'm trying to change it up a lot more. Too early to really say if it's helping.

I did, however, discover that alcohol is a remarkable painkiller (though perhaps not well-suited for use at a tournament.)

[Morale Officer]

Foibles, I was diagnosed with the same problems (minus the cyst) back in 1996 in my left knee. When PT for about 6 months failed, I ended up having a Lateral Release done in 1997 - that one worked. Started having problems with my right knee in 2005 during my marathon of work and paramedic school. PT once again didn't solve the problem and ended up having a Lateral Release done in 2006 on the right one - unfortunately, I found out at the beginning of this year, it didn't take like it was supposed and the tendon scarred over even tighter. Ended up having the SynVisc injections. Haven't had a problem with the R knee, but now having problems with the left again. So far all I'm doing is wearing a Neoprene "J" bar type brace while fencing, but I have a feeling it's going to come down to SynVisc in the left knee to prolong another surgery (just had spinal surgery 10 weeks ago, I don't really want to have any other type of surgery for a good long while!). I usually rot my stomach pretty good with advil for several days on either side of a tournament! Also, Biofreeze and the IcyHot Patches have become very close friends! So, I feel your pain!

[foibles]

Once, after I'd tweaked it and it swelled, I picked up a circulating water cooler device similar to this. (clicky) I found a new one on ebay for 60.00 or so.

Far superior to ice packs.

Plus you can cool a beer in it while on the couch iceing your knee.

I'm perfectly willing to rehab or PT if that will possibly help... but I don't know how to tell which muscle group is too strong or which tendon is too tight. I guess the specialist will know.

Sounds like you've had a really hard time of it Morale Officer. Hats off to you for continuing to do what you love tho. That's good core strength, right there. :-)

[Wetmelon]

Well, I haven't had chondromalacia, but here's a hint:

Don't kick the ground hard


I destroyed my sartorial muscle and was barely able to walk the next day. Two years later, the adjustment to my walking caught up with my knee/hip.

3 years after kicking, I saw a specialist - clean MRI's (Knee & hip)

5 years after kicking, I saw a chiropractor - my hip is WAYYYY out of alignment and was causing discomfort in my entire leg, as well as lower and upper back. And some neck.

6 years (currently) I haven't been able to see anybody about it, and I still can't bring my leg to more than a 90 degree angle to my core (bent at the knee)

[bob46]

Well, I haven't had chondromalacia, but here's a hint:

Don't kick the ground hard


I destroyed my sartorial muscle and was barely able to walk the next day. Two years later, the adjustment to my walking caught up with my knee/hip.

3 years after kicking, I saw a specialist - clean MRI's (Knee & hip)

5 years after kicking, I saw a chiropractor - my hip is WAYYYY out of alignment and was causing discomfort in my entire leg, as well as lower and upper back. And some neck.

6 years (currently) I haven't been able to see anybody about it, and I still can't bring my leg to more than a 90 degree angle to my core (bent at the knee)

were you drunk when you decided it was a good idea to kick the ground hard?

[Wetmelon]

haha. No, I was playing soccer and the ball was sitting in a divot (goal kick), and I hit the ground first xD

[Morale Officer]

Oh yea...another bit of advice for you...
If you've just had surgery (especially a spinal fusion about 10 weeks ago), and whatever part of your body you had the surgery on hurt BEFORE the tournament, it's probably NOT a good idea to actually fence in said tournament... LOL!
(Yea...personal experience...withdrew after pools today 'cause I hurt so bad and had lost feeling in part of my hand...Not the brightest thing I've ever done! lol)

[foibles]

Well. You recognised that you were outside the envelope and chose not to continue. That was a pretty smart call.

Losing feeling in a hand after spinal surgery... kinda worrisome, that.

You seem to have a lot going on, medically, for being 30. Not sayin', just sayin'...;-)

[Morale Officer]

What can I say? I played rough growing up! lol.