Chondropathia Patellae
Definition
Cartilage damage behind the kneecap (medical term: chondropathia patellae) refers to a painful change in the cartilage tissue behind the kneecap, which occurs primarily in athletes and is often due to overloading. The cartilage behind the kneecap is a buffer between the kneecap, which lies in front of the knee, and the bones that form the knee joint. It serves as a kind of buffer and absorbs mechanical stress on the knee joint.
It is also part of the ligament that connects the strongest muscle of the thigh (quadriceps femoris) with the tibia, creating a lever arm to maximize the force between the thigh and the lower leg. Various causes can cause damage to the cartilage behind the patella. Such damage often leads to a so-called patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is the most common cause of chronic knee pain.
Causes and risk factors
Risk factors for the development of cartilage damage behind the kneecap are divided into three groups Overloading, injuries and anatomical factors. These three groups result in certain risk groups that are often confronted with the diagnosis of cartilage damage behind the patella. From the synonym “runner’s knee“, which is often used, especially in the USA, it can be deduced that sportsmen and – among them – runners are particularly frequently affected.
It also shows that many of those affected are younger, which is unusual for other cartilage injuries. Since the kneecap and its surrounding structures, including the cartilage, act as a kind of buffer for the knee joint, it is logical that traumatic injuries (knee contusions), and especially those resulting in a blow to the kneecap, also promote the development of this clinical picture. Such cartilage damage is often observed after traffic accidents and sports injuries.
A functioning knee joint is a prerequisite for friction-free movement in everyday life. With every step the kneecap is moved over the knee joint. If there are congenital diseases that anatomically affect the knee joint, this can also result in cartilage damage behind the kneecap.
These include congenital hip malpositions, an X-position of the legs, different leg lengths and malformations or malpositions of the kneecap. It is also noticeable that predominantly young women are affected by cartilage damage behind the patella. Attempts to explain this are based on an anatomical predisposition: due to the wider pelvis of a woman compared to a man, the latter is more likely to suffer from cartilage damage behind the kneecap. Persons of both sexes are also more frequently affected during puberty, which is often explained by a “growth spurt” that places a particular strain on the joints during this period. In general, however, it can be said that in many cases an exact cause for the occurrence of cartilage damage behind the patella cannot be found.
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