What are the symptoms of chondromalacia patella?
The symptoms of chondromalacia patella are generally a vague discomfort of the inner knee area, aggravated by activity (running, jumping, climbing or descending stairs) or by prolonged sitting with knees in a moderately bent position (the so called “theater sign” of pain upon arising from a desk or theater seat). Some patients may also have a vague sense of “tightness” or “fullness” in the knee area. Occasionally, if chronic symptoms are ignored, the associated loss of quadriceps (thigh) muscle strength may cause the leg to “give out.” Besides an obvious reduction in quadriceps muscle mass, mild swelling of the knee area may occur. What causes chondromalacia patella? The patella (kneecap) is normally pulled over the end of the femur in a straight line by the quadriceps (thigh) muscle. Patients with chondromalacia patella frequently have abnormal patellar “tracking” toward the lateral (outer) side of the femur. This slightly off-kilter pathway allows the undersurface of the patella to g
