That's odd you have heard this idea. It doesn't involve the cartlige actually but the back side of the patella and the cause is usaually the opposite, the vastus m. becomes weak from disuse atrophy. Usually from poor use from other injuries or the like. When the Vastus M. is weak it does not pull the patella toward the centerline of the body, the much more powerful vastus L pulls the patella toward the outside and causes the patella to ride on the outside of the condyle. This is exactly what I experienced. My knee would even pop as the patella snapped back in the groove. How I found releif was from first, isometric quad exercises to strength the vastus medialis, then later, top range leg extenstions for further strengthening of the vastus m.[b said:Quote[/b] (haskan @ June 03 2005,12)]Chondromalacia patella is a softening of the patellae cartilage. A maltracking of the patella can in and of itself cause knee pain and is due to the vastus medialis being stronger and fires quicker than vastus lateralis. The Mulligan mobilization I wrote about earlier can give temporary relief, but to really fix the problem you need to use a muscle stimulator (NMES=NeuroMuscular Electric Stimulation).
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cyberth....ing.php[b said:Quote[/b] ]If an imbalance develops with weakness of the vastus medialis muscle and/or weakness of the medial patello-femoral ligaments and/or over-development of the vastus lateralis muscle and/or tightness of the lateral ligaments of the patello-femoral joint, then a force imbalance develops. When this happens, the patella begins to move laterally (towards the outside) within the trochlear groove. As the knee is flexes, the tension increases on the tight lateral structures. In turn, this causes pain with bent knee activities.
[b said:Quote[/b] ]Which muscles need strengthening?
It is usually the Vastus medialis obliques (on the inside of the thigh near the knee) and the gluteus medius muscle on the outside of the hip that require strengthening.
The aim of strengthening should be to encourage the patella to track in the proper position and to spread the forces throughout the joint.
Your welcome[b said:Quote[/b] (Stryker @ June 03 2005,10:46)]Great info Ron!!!! Thank you
BTW, are you able to train quads at all?
[b said:Quote[/b] ]That's odd you have heard this idea. It doesn't involve the cartlige actually but the back side of the patella
[b said:Quote[/b] ]and the cause is usaually the opposite, the vastus m. becomes weak from disuse atrophy.
Ah, ok, I thought you meant the meniscus in the joint[b said:Quote[/b] (haskan @ June 07 2005,12:54)]The posterior part of the patella is lined with cartilage. That´s the cartilage I was refering to.[b said:Quote[/b] ]That's odd you have heard this idea. It doesn't involve the cartlige actually but the back side of the patella
Sorry, a typo from my side. Sometimes I just write too fast I guess.[b said:Quote[/b] ]and the cause is usaually the opposite, the vastus m. becomes weak from disuse atrophy.
The cause is not always disuse atrophy. Many times it´s idiopathic.
Hey cool, that's my dream job. Too late now, I'm too old LOL[b said:Quote[/b] (haskan @ June 09 2005,12:53)]Nah, I´m a physiotherapist. I know my anatomy
Sounds cool and fun! It's great when someone actually enjoys their job, there are too many docs out there that really don't seem to care about their jobs or patients, just 'get in, get out and give me $$'.[b said:Quote[/b] (haskan @ June 10 2005,5:42)]It´s my dream job too, and I´m living it ! I just love my job. I specialize in Orthopaedic Medicine.
it´s good when patients learn as much as possible about there problems and treatment options. I have way too many patients that are not even interested in the why and how, but just want me to fix it (preferably without putting any money or effort into it themselves).