Knee - Chondromalacia or Meniscus Tear, anyone?

N

nbergren

Cathlete
Hi fellow fitness friends-

I have been having a little knee concern lately and in doing some research have come up with the possibility of Chondromalacia or a slight Menuscus Tear. No swelling or pain, and only slight discomfort after some of my harder workout days. Usually the discomfort is associated with stairs and may only last a day.

Anyway, I am trying (desperately!) to focus on low impact cardio (walking, ski machine - boring!, treadmill - boring, etc...), floor work for the legs and just regular upperbody work and yoga/pilates.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of injury? Length of recovery? Workout suggestions? Advice of any kind is welcome.

Thanks,

Nancy
 
Advice....GO SEE A DOCTOR :) In either case, you want it looked at. I am more familiar with a meniscus tear as that is what my ortho thougth I had years ago before MRIs were around. I had no swelling in the knee, excruciating pain if the area was touched and pain with any exercise. If you have a tear, they can do arthroscopic surgery and repair it and you'll be good to go in no time. I was back on my feet after a few weeks and my surgery was over 20 years ago and I know medical techniques are even better now then they were then :)

I don't have any advice for healing, since mine didn't end up being torn.

Colleen
 
I've been having the same problem for a few weeks now. It tends to come and go but I definitely feel it on the stairs. My DH(a physical therapist and Orthepedic Specialist) said that it was just knee cap pain(umm, is that a medical term??). Anyway, he's given me a couple of exercises to strengthen the quads and hip muscle(as my hip inwardly rotates putting pressure on the knee). He also told me to lay off the intense exercises(jumping,twisting,stepping up and down over and over).

The exercise that seemed to help the most was easy but difficult to explain. I stood on a stair facing sideways with my sore knee closer to the stairs going up. I then extend my non sore knee to the side and squat with the sore one, going as far as I can without feeling too much pain (when you squat, you actually go against your good form instinct and let your knee go over your toes). I do 15-20 reps for 4 sets. I'm not sure this will help you but I would take it easy nonetheless.

If it doesn't get better withing a few weeks, I would go see a doctor or therapist!!

Carolyn
 
I have Chondromalacia of my right year from many years of long distance running. I went to see an orthopedist, and I also found that he thought I have an impending tear of the miniscus. He told me to make the muscles of my quads stronger, and I have done that.
I agree with everybody else to advised you to see a doctor, and an MRI will give your doctor the information that he needs.

I do cardio now six days a week, but I do not run. When I step, I use an 8 or 6 inch step, and I usually do it low impact. I try to limit my high impact workouts to once a week. Walking is very boring, and so is the elliptical and ski machine.

Do you have Cathe's Low Max step workout? I love it, and it doesn't cause me to have a knee problem. I also stretch a lot, and I do exercises to strengthen my quads.
 
YOu could also have "patello=femoral pain syndrome"--knee pain (associated with a tracking problem).

Dr's check for chondromalacia by pushing down on your kneecap while you have your leg straight and extended in front of you (like on the floor), and seeing if there is any grating or grinding. (Though I wouldn't suggest you try it yourself!).

I once thought I had con..., but it was "diagnosed" (if you can even call it that!) as PFPS. Kind of a "we're not sure what's wrong" kind of diagnosis, IMO!
 
So, Kathryn, what did you have to do for it? Do you or anyone use glucosamine and chondroitin? My dr. wasn't convinced it works, but she did mention using fish oil tablets for knee pain. What do you all think?
 
Nancy
Only a doctor can check you out.

I did have similar Knee pain in 2003. I saw a doctor who told me I had Chonromalacia (spelling?) I went to internet sites and followed basic guidelines and started taking glucosamine/ chondroiden supplements daily. I am still taking them although I have been pain free for over 2 years. I also had a few visits with a chiropractor.

When I first started the Hard Core series, I felt a slight return of the symptoms, but just laying off of impact and step for a bit helped.

Go get checked out.
Judy "Likes2bfit"
 
>So, Kathryn, what did you have to do for it? Do you or
>anyone use glucosamine and chondroitin? My dr. wasn't
>convinced it works, but she did mention using fish oil tablets
>for knee pain. What do you all think?

I got a variety of exercises to strengthen all the muscles around the knee. Though I wasn't happy with my PT (and the machine they eventually put me on to diagnose EXACTLY where the weakness would be, and which injured me!).

I take a vegan glucosamine (either a flax blended with glucosamine, or a "joint" supplement that has vegan glucosamine, hyaluronic acid and MSM) but no chondroitin (no vegan sources that I know of).
 
Thanks everyone for your responses and advice. I will see a Dr. if easing off for a few weeks doesn't seem to totally cure it. I THINK I just over did it this summer and need to lay low. I played tennis at least 1 time a week, rode my bike about 15 miles at least once a week with a lot of hills, and walked a lot all in addition to my morning workouts. So, I am hoping since the pain is pretty nonexistant and I just feel a slight weakness in my knees sometimes, that toning it down will do. Of course I am also doing quad and ham floor work as well. And just recently started on Glucosamine as well.

Thanks again for your advice everyone.

Nancy
 
Yeah, if it's a miniscus tear it won't heal on it's own. The best way to tell is to push on the joint of your knee (where the two bones meet), just in the middle where there is a slight gap. If it is tender, then your miniscus has been damaged. It's a fairly simple surgery, and a fairly quick recovery as far as knee surgery goes. Yes, I've had it done. I would go see a Doctor, it's better to get it taken care of right away than wait.

Kathy
 
Actually the meniscus can heal on its own. It depends....parts of the meniscus receives blood flow and parts do not. If the injured area does get some blood flow it will heal.You have to be patient. This has been the case with me. Just to add, I'm a physical therapist and personal trainer as well. I've had patients post meniscal repair the have done just fine. However I also have had clients and friends that had the surgery and symptoms continued. The fact is once the joint is invaded the risk of osteoarthritis increases for you later in life.Thats something u want to avoid. I would wait at least 3 months to see if the symptoms decrease or even completely resolve.....and definitly lay off any impact activities. Good luck.
 
> The
>best way to tell is to push on the joint of your knee (where
>the two bones meet), just in the middle where there is a
>slight gap. If it is tender, then your miniscus has been
>damaged.

Altho this is the best way to tell (albeit short of an MRI :) ), there are a few of us, who have this exact pain in the same area yet did not end up having a meniscus tear :( and only finding out after having exploratory surgery!!

Colleen
 
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