Chondromalacia

[striad]

Does anybody deal with this problem and if so, what does your leg workout consist of?

I had patella femoral syndrome last year, which is very similar, and I basically took off from squats most of last year. I started back with squats in december and then injured my knee playing basketball last month.

I just don't want to wait another year before I do squats again. Chondromalacia is treated by strengthening the quads, so maybe squats would be ok?

 

[tnubs]

FINALLY someone who feels my pain! Are you bowlegged at all?

It took me so long to realize what it was. Im bowlegged so it pretty much started before lifting but when i did squats it got worse so i thought it was the stress on my knees. I did mostly deadlifts for a while, which didnt help (prolly cuz so much hamstring emphasis). What ive been doing lately is just sprinting. For me, sprinting is pretty much all quads and yea, its helped. Try that. I tried leg extensions but my knees would always crunch and pop... so i pretty much stayed away from it unless it was after warming up my knees on the bike and after something like front squats.

I would try front squats or short sprints. Honestly, my legs look better than ever in my life just from sprinting... and i got up to deadlifting 550lbs @ 190lbs bodyweight, which led to me getting 2 hernias. And now my only leg workout is sprints. It works a completely seperate function of the quads, which is to raise the leg. The stretch position of sprints with the high speed really hammers the vastus lateralis is ways ive never gotten from squats. For the medialis i would recommend front squats. Good luck!

 

[flightposite]

do slit sqats hurt you? if not try those.

 

[CopyCat]

Ok, let me try and see if I understand you right. You had PFPS and took a year off from squats. Then last month you injured your knee. Now, do you now have PFPS again or do you now have Chondromalacia? Or do you now have a hurt knee, but are not sure what it is?

The reason I ask is because the way those two things associate with each other can be confusing. PFPS can be Chondromalacia, but Chondromalacia isn't always PFPS. Patello Femoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is a term for non specific pain around the Patella. It can be caused by quite a few different reason to include Chondromalacia. The cause could potentially have nothing to do with the knee itself, but lie in the foot, ankle, or hip etc. as crazy as that sounds. However, they are not all treated the same way. You first need to identify the cause before effectively treating.

 

[striad]

Ok, so last february, i sprained my mcl and lcl playing basketball. While going to rehab, my ligaments were getting much stronger but I was having a lot of pain from the knee area. I was told this was PFPS and was given a workout program to follow for my legs which did not include squats.

Finally, around october, my knee started feeling great so I started back with squats again. Nothing heavy, just nice deep squats. Then in feb. this year i started to feel some pain in my knee while playing basketball again. The next morning me knee would "pop" kinda like my knuckles would sound and my knee was making a terrible crunching sound.

So, i was referred back to the same rehab center that i went to last year and was told that i have chondromalacia. Due to my work schedule right now, i haven't been back to rehab yet. So, i thought i would ask on here and try to get an idea of what exercises i should or shouldn't do. I appreciate the responses.

 

[tnubs]

they have anti inflammatory shots, ive heard which can really help the pressure inside there. my knees pop all the time and are always crunchy. apparently u really need to let them rest and not be swolen as bad so they can recover. but i work standing up all day and my knees get SO stiff to the point i can stand or even kneel because they feel they will explode if i stretch them.

 

[striad]

After getting my knee warmed up using the bike or something, it is good to go for about 30-45 minutes. Anything longer than that and it swells and gets real stiff. Have you tried to release the IT band with a foam roller or anything like that? I've seen a few articles about that while looking around the net, but everyone says it is extremely painful.

 

[tnubs]

After getting my knee warmed up using the bike or something, it is good to go for about 30-45 minutes. Anything longer than that and it swells and gets real stiff. Have you tried to release the IT band with a foam roller or anything like that? I've seen a few articles about that while looking around the net, but everyone says it is extremely painful.

never played with a foam roller personally, i know a lot of ppl swear by it, i just dont see it working.

 

[wearedbleedblue]

If you want good release of the IT band I'd say get Graston Technique or ART done on it. Foam roller is good for prevention but once the problem is there, it doesn't do much to help it unless you use it very often. 2-3x a day, stretch, mobility, etc.