When the patella sustains a serious trauma and the cartilage on the back side of the patella softens because of the misalignment, chondromalacia can develop.  Trauma such as a patella fracture, dislocation or patellar tendon rupture can cause the misalignment.  The cartilage gets destroyed when the misaligned patella rubs against the end of the femur, making the cartilage look like crab meat.  The friction against the femur causes an intense amount of inflammation, pain and grinding in the knee.

Treating Chondromalacia

Treatment for chondromalacia include:

• resting the knee to decrease the intense pain
• taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• undergoing physical therapy

In order to minimize chondromalacia, aligning the patella correctly is important because if this cannot be done with physical therapy, then surgery may be required.  While most surgeries for chondromalacia are successful, patients have experienced some complications including infection and increased pain.

Chondromalacia is a serious, painful injury that can cause many complications in the body if it is not treated urgently.  If you have been in an accident and suffer from chondromalacia due to another person’s negligent behavior, you need a reputable, aggressive personal injury attorney who can defend your rights.

Our attorneys at Tarshish Cody have the experience and expertise to help you.  We welcome your call today at 612-808-8999 (or fill out the free Case Evaluation Form) to learn more about your case and answer any questions you may have.

Attorneys Practicing In This Area

Benjamin Tarshish

Kyle Kosieracki