Chondromalacia Patellae: Understanding Runner's Knee
A 19-year-old engineering student. Let us call her Ipsita. She is not a real patient of mine, but you may recognise her. She started running in the mornings before her semester exams. Three weeks later, the front of both knees began to ache. Climbing the hostel stairs hurts. Sitting through a three-hour exam with her knees bent is worse. When she stands up, there is a grinding feeling under the kneecap. Someone told her it is "cartilage wearing out". Now she is frightened she has arthritis at 19. "Doctor, is my cartilage damaged for life? Should I stop running?" For most people in Ipsita's position, the honest answer is reassuring. Here is why. Side view of the knee showing the kneecap gliding in a groove on the thigh bone, with the cartilage under the kneecap highlighted Thigh muscle tendon Kneecap (patella) Cartilage under the kneecap Kneecap tendon Thigh bone Shin bone Stairs, squats and long sitting increase pressure here The kneecap...