CHONDROMALACIA PATELLA

Course overview

CHONDROMALACIA IS AN AFFLICTION OF THE HYALINE CARTILAGE COATING OF THE ARTICULAR SURFACES OF THE BONE. IT RESULTS IN THE SOFTENING AND SUBSEQUENT TEARING, FISSURING, AND EROSION OF HYALINE CARTILAGE. MOST COMMONLY, IT IS RECOGNIZED AS INVOLVING THE EXTENSOR MECHANISM OF THE KNEE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS CHONDROMALACIA OF THE PATELLA, PATELLOFEMORAL SYNDROME, OR RUNNER'S KNEE. THE UNDERSURFACE OF THE PATELLA IS COVERED WITH HYALINE CARTILAGE THAT ARTICULATES WITH THE HYALINE CARTILAGE-COVERED FEMORAL GROOVE (TROCHLEAR GROOVE). POST-TRAUMATIC INJURIES, MICROTRAUMA WEAR AND TEAR, AND IATROGENIC INJECTIONS OF MEDICATION CAN LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHONDROMALACIA. CHONDROMALACIA OCCURS IN ANY JOINT AND IS ESPECIALLY COMMON IN JOINTS WITH TRAUMA AND DEFORMITIES, SUCH AS THE KNEE AND PATELLA. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CHONDROMALACIA PATELLA AND EXAMINES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.