Chondromalacia

Description:

The word "chondromalacia" in literal translation designates "a cartilage softening". This morbid condition which is shown by change of structure of a cartilage and loss of elasticity by it. A chondromalacia – one of frequent types of degenerative changes in cartilaginous tissue.

The most often described pathological process is localized in a patella. A disease as which main link the patella chondromalacia acts call "the runner's knee".

Chondromalacia reasons:

Usually the chondromalacia of a patella is connected with strong exercise stresses which are followed by gait disturbance, and also biomechanics of walking, run. As a result the patella is displaced a little and rubs about the acting sites of bones. These processes lead to disbolism in a cartilage which covers a patella from within. The chondromalacia develops.

Sometimes the disease develops owing to the injury of a knee leading to patella shift.

Chondromalacia symptoms:

The main signs allowing to suspect a probable chondromalacia of a patella is an emergence of acute pains in an upper part of a knee (especially when walking on steps), restriction of mobility of a knee, disturbance of movements in a joint after long sitting with the bent legs. Similar pains at a chondromalacia of a patella can incidentally arise or to be almost constant sign, periodically amplifying.

The feeling of a crunch and/or scratch in a knee is rather characteristic also of a patella chondromalacia during movements. Becomes later a sound it is well distinguishable an unaided ear.

Diagnosis:

For confirmation or an exception of a chondromalacia of a patella use radiological methods of a research, ultrasonography, an arthroscopy (endoscopic manipulation which consists in survey of a joint by means of special tiny video cameras from within).

Treatment of a chondromalacia:

In treatment of a chondromalacia of a patella (as well as other localizations of pathological process) the important place is taken by the good nutrition and orthopedic actions directed to recovery of normal biomechanics of movements in a joint.

In most cases, if process did not come rather far, the cartilage which underwent a chondromalacia partially is recovered.

At the started chondromalacia forms, some associated diseases of a knee joint operational treatment of a chondromalacia is recommended.

In most cases the described disease recovers by the conservative method directed to reduction of pain and process of an inflammation. Besides, recovery of an animal force is carried out, measures for normalization of mobility of a knee joint are taken.

At inefficiency of conservative treatment when the chondromalacia does not concede, there is a need for use of surgical intervention, to be exact, an arthroscopy which helps to conduct a detailed research of a current status of a cartilage in a joint, and also rather precisely to establish extent of its deformation. When carrying out operation use special tools to carrying out alignment of the damaged part of a cartilage. In the presence at the patient is the chondromalacia connected with serious problems, use  of several surgical methods sometimes is required at once.