슬개골 연골 연화증
What is chondromalacia patellae?
This refers to the firm cartilage covering the knee joint becoming soft, losing its elasticity and cracking, caused by sudden weight change (dieting), childbirth (changes in the pelvis), congenital factors (patellar subluxation, knock knees), excessive load or pressure.
Symptoms
- 1
- The front of the knee aches when standing for a long time.
- 2
- You have to push up with your hands to stand after squatting.
- 3
- There is pain in the front of the knee when climbing stairs or coming down a mountain, and the patient limps on the way down.
- 4
- Pain occurs when driving for long periods or when standing up after keeping the legs bent for a long time.
Treatment
Treatment should focus on the cause of the change in the joint surface. It is usually treated conservatively with anti-inflammatory painkillers, quadriceps strengthening exercises and hamstring stretching. If symptoms do not improve despite all conservative measures and become chronic, surgery is considered.
Using an arthroscope, the area with the cartilage lesion is resected, holes are made in the exposed bone beneath the cartilage, and the irregular articular surface of the patella is smoothed. If a plica within the joint has thickened, the plica is removed, and if the lateral retinaculum of the patella is contracted, an arthroscopic release is performed. Surgery to lift the tibial tubercle forward may also be performed to reduce the pressure the patella exerts on the femur.