From the SAYSO Trainer’s Notebook
Patello-Femoral Syndrome,
and Patellar Tendonitis
These are conditions related to
overuse, trauma, and/or abnormal forces on the knee. They are more common in
girls than boys. Very often, chondromalacia is a result of an ongoing mechanical
imbalance. As feet pronate (flatten out) during normal
weight-bearing/walking/running, the leg rotates inward, placing mechanical
stress on the front and inside of the knee. In people whose feet flatten out to
excess, these forces are magnified and, over time, patellar tendonitis and
chondromalacia can develop. Females, as a natural part of their development,
often become somewhat knock-kneed (genu valgum) as their pelvis begins to widen.
This adds to the biomechanical stresses even more. (This may also be a part of
the reason that female athletes seem to suffer more torn ACLs than the males.)
Proper biomechanical support early on, including both proper shoes that are in
good condition and some form of orthotics in the shoes, can very often relieve
these stresses on the knee joint, effectively dealing with the underlying cause
of the problem. Physical therapy and exercises (along with the medication and
potential surgery) are a part of the rehabilitation to strengthen and stabilize
the structures about the knee, but they deal more with the symptoms and results
than the underlying causes.
Here is some information from Medline
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000452.htm on this topic.
"Temporarily resting the knee and taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin may help relieve pain [but these
medications have side effects too]. Physical therapy, especially quadriceps
strengthening and hamstring stretching, may be helpful. Participation in sports
or strenuous activity should be limited until the pain has gone away. Activities
that increase the knee pain, such as deep knee bends, should be avoided until
the pain improves. If the alignment of the patella that cannot be corrected with
therapy, surgery may be an option. Depending on the nature of the misalignment,
the surgery may be arthroscopic (using a camera, which allows a smaller
incision) or open. Chondromalacia patella usually improves with therapy and use
of NSAIDs. For the few people who need it, surgery is successful about 90% of
the time."
For another discussion, see this article: http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/pfs.html