The kneecap, called as the patella, has tissue on the underside (cartilage) which acts as a natural shock absorber. Chondromalacia patella is a condition in which this cartilage becomes soft, deteriorates and may breakdown due to overuse or injury to the knee. It usually shows up as knee pain that gets worse when the patient is moving around, especially while going up or down the stairs. It is common among athletes but may also occur in adults having osteoarthritis of the knee. Sitting cross legged may be difficult for such patients. They might also not be able to kneel or squat as these activities put more pressure on the knees and intensify the pain. Other symptoms include a feeling of grinding or rubbing inside the knee. Clicking sounds may be heard in the kneecap while trying to flex the knee. 

Often, chondromalacia patella is also referred to as patellofemoral syndrome, a general condition in which there is pain in the front of the knee around the kneecap, caused by damage to the cartilage under it. It is also called runner’s knee or jumper’s knee as it is common in young athletes who play sports. It is more prominent among women. Patellofemoral pain syndrome can occur in non-athletes as well and could be caused by being overweight, overuse or lack of exercise, a weakening of the quadriceps or poor foot biomechanics that lead to misalignment caused by poor tracking of the patella.

Chondromalacia patella cannot be treated with insoles. It is usually treated with rest, icing, pain relievers and physiotherapy. However, if the ankle joint is not stable, the excessive tibial rotation will cause more friction in the knee joint and will aggravate the pain. Thus, insoles are important to arrest faulty foot movements such that they do not cause additional rotation on the knee. At Podiapro, we have also seen cases where patients of chondromalacia have experienced complete alleviation of knee pain once they have started wearing our insoles.