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I was originally diagnosed with Chondromalacia in 1990 and had my first arthriscopy in 1990. My knees seemed to be healed until 1995. Unfortunately, since 1995 I have had 4 more knee surgeries. I have had two lateral releases on my left knee and one lateral release on my right knee. I also have woodruff screws in both of my knees. The surgeries seem to help for a few months then my knees resume the cracking. It is getting so bad that I don't even want to get out of bed in the morning because it is causing tremendous pain in the arches of my feet. I am only 27 years old, is there anything else that can be done for me? Or are you going to tell me that I just need routine maintenance every couple of years like my orthopedic surgeon does. Please help me.
In Reply to: Chondromalacia posted by Susan on May 28, 2003 at 22:24:46:
Hi Susan,
I have chondromalacia too but not as severe as you. Walt suggested that I take glucosamine and go to see a sports medicine specialist. He gave me a specific exercise to do to help the patella track correctly (strengthen the vastus medialis muscle). While the concept was right, it wasn't really helpful until I figured out the real problem was that the muscle on the other side of the knee (vastus medialis) was very tight and a very big part of the problem. So I did some deep massage on the thigh to loosen up that muscle, and it helped a lot. The combination of the strengthening exercise and massage seem to be helping.
You might see what you can do to loosen up all the muscles in the leg around the knee. Especially, the muscles in the front of the thigh connect through the patella. There are two ways to go about this loosening: 1) do a skilled relaxation practice described on this website (see article and archives) and 2) go for some professional massage. Taking glucosamine will help restore cartilege on the back of the kneecap.
Oh, yes, also avoid going down stairs (take the elevator) and kneeling, and do underwater exercises rather than exercise that bears weight on the knees.
I don't know how much having had the surgeries will limit your recovery, but I think the above give you some pretty good possibilities for at least some improvement.
Best wishes,
Happygal (Certified Massage Therapist)
In Reply to: Chondromalacia posted by Susan on May 28, 2003 at 22:24:46:
Hi, Susan.
Listen to Happygal.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Chondromalacia posted by Happygal on May 29, 2003 at 06:43:32:
That's all very good advice, Happygal. I had Chondromalacia more than 20 years ago - got it from playing tennis. The first attack was so bad I could hardly walk and my knees would shake when I went down a lot of stairs. I'm very happy to say that it seems to be in complete remission and has been for almost 20 years. I would have taken Glucosomine if I had known about it (or was it even around at that time?) but it seems like the cartilege healed up somehow anyway. So, Susan, be optimistic - it really can be cured.
In Reply to: Re: Chondromalacia posted by Walt Stoll on May 29, 2003 at 08:22:37:
Walt, I'm a bit confused. Chondromalacia is a softening of the cartiledge. Patella-mistracking is a movement pattern problem usually blamed on muscle imbalances. They seem to be completely separate conditions. Happygal claims that exercise fixed her chondromalacia by improving the tracking of her patella. This does not seem to jive.
In Reply to: Re: Chondromalacia posted by Lincoln on May 29, 2003 at 15:18:04:
Hi, Lincoln.
ALL chronic conditions are multifactorial in causation.
Chondromalacia is a wear and tear chronic condition.
Patella tracking, if not exactly normal, greatly increases the wear and tear.
Glucosamine & EFAs can increase the repair in this balance as can underwater exercises and flexibility.
Hope this helps.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Chondromalacia posted by Lincoln on May 29, 2003 at 15:18:04:
Hi Lincoln,
The strengthening exercise and the deep massage to loosen other muscles corrected the muscle/patella movement, and decreased the impact on the cartilege, thus preventing further wear and tear. My "muscial knee" was immediately much quieter as a result.
I'm also taking glucosamine to strengthen, repair and restore the cartilege.
I'm also still avoiding things that damage soft cartilege like going down steps, kneeling, etc.
"The synchronistic effect of a combination of approaches applied at the same time can do more than the sum of the parts." Hope this helps clarify.
Best wishes,
Happygal
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