Torn Cartilage on back of Patella Tendon

by John
(NY)

Joint mice

Joint mice

Joint mice

Dr,

Hi. I live in New york, USA and found your site looking for an alternative to invasive orthopedic procedures for my painful knee.

I've been diagnosed with torn cartilage on the back of my patella tendon, and experience pain when, especially walking up and down stairs.

I see your recommended exercises and will begin them, but my question is will these exercises relieve the pain I feel in my knee?

While strengthening my leg muscles makes sense, I don't see how the source of my pain - the torn cartilage, changes.

Hello John,
It's not clear whether you mean behind the tendon or behind the kneecap itself. There's no cartilage in the tendon.

Patello Femoral Pain Syndrome PFPS is one of the favourite conditions in my practice. It usually responds so quickly to mobilisation of the patella and strengthening exercises, and perhaps a change of diet.

A deficiency of magnesium is the main cause of chondro calcinosis, a build up of crystals of calcium in the cartilage on the underside of the kneecap. Popeye knew the answer: spinach.

I use a gentle mobilising technique, like polishing, which smoothens off those offending crystals and it works remarkably quickly.

Of course I know nothing of your case history, so I can't promise you that every case will repond as outlined above, but I'd certainly give it a try before the knife! Ice it too if it's swollen and inflammed.

But the cartilage doesn't seem to wear away under the kneecap as occurs within the knee itself, that's far more difficult to manage. The patella isn't a weight bearing joint, though the forces between it and the femur on the stairs is considerable. Hence the pain.

If you're obese, get if off, because no treatment, chiropractic or surgery will help for any length of time.

Phone around and look for a chiro who has experience in treating the knee. Some chiros only work with the spine and pelvis which may not bring much relief.

Good luck, let me know how you get on.

Dr B

PS: It's nice to see that some Americans were taught to write in English! Most of the letters I receive at this site are in such poor grammar and spelling... the letters from Indian and Pakistan are better!

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Interesting challenges of the day

1. Mr S is a 76 year old man with neck pain of some 9 months duration. Luckily, most of the discomfort is upper cervical which is only rarely arthritic; his lower cervical spine is a degenerative mess that I've left alone. After seven treatments his pain and stiffness is 50 percent better, and he's happy in the circumstances. He can sleep through the night now and that makes a huge difference.

2. Mr P is 32 year old man with very severe lower back pain radiating to the big toe which is 30 percent numb. He had an episode three weeks ago, took anti inflammatories and was soon better as is typical of the medial disc herniation. But before it healed, after a trivia it came roaring back, much worse. The characteristic crossed sign was evident; sitting in a chair, straightening the right leg provoked severe left back pain and tingling in the leg. He's doing well.

3. Severe lower back pain is scary; just ask Mrs P. Just watching her get out of the car I she was in trouble; she had a slipped disc at L4 making her lean towards the opposite side; luckily she had no pain in the leg. Despite family pressure that this was far too severe for a chiropractor, she persevered. Within five days she was standing upright, and after two weeks almost painfree. 

Despite a hectic job, she wisely took my advice and stayed home for what I call exercising bed rest.

4. Mr S has had lower back, groin and back of thigh and calf pain for fourth months.

He has a pincer deformity in the hip causing the stabs in the groin, and a degenerative facet causing the sciatica. Both are responding well to chiropractic and he's well pleased; sixty five percent better after three treatments.

5. Mr T is a wise man; he's taken a warning TIA seriously and has lost 15 pounds, and has at least as much again to lose. A change to a low starch diet and half hour daily walk has made the difference; but the walking is making his foot and back miserable. The expensive orthotic is hopeless; luckily his hips and back are fine, but he needs a simple heel lift.

6. I too have had serious lower back issues, luckily fixed by my own chiropractor; so I too have to do my exercises, take care when lifting supers full of honey, gardening and using the chainsaw. Regaining the function of your spine is just as important as the pain.

7. My own granddaughter, only 7 is hypermobile giving her pelvic, knee and ankle issues. Xrays show a mildly dysplastic hip. Years ago we would have called it growing pains. She too regularly needs chiropractic care and luckily responds well. Increased range of motion is more difficult than too stiff in my opinion. Our care is for kids too.

8. This 65 year old lady is a serious gardener; every day she is bending, lifting and digging for 2 to 3 hours a day. It regularly catches her in the sacroiliac joint, so she has a treatment once a month that sorts it out. She does her lower back exercises faithfully.

9. This 88 year old lady is an inspiration; every day she is busy in the community. With a nasty scoliosis she manages very well with a chiropractic adjustment every six weeks and exercises faithfully done.  

10. Mr X is a 71 year old retired man who wants to continue with maintenance care every six to eight weeks; he had suffered from two years of lower back pain when he first came a year ago. He has no discomfort now after 8 chiropractic treatments, but is aware that danger lurks.

11. Mrs C has been having severe headaches, and taking a lot of analgesics. It's a non complicated upper cervical facet syndrome, and she's doing well.

12. Mr D is a 38 old year man with chronic shoulder pain after a rotator cuff tear playing cricket. It responded well to treatment, but he knows he must do his exercises every day; for two years he couldn't sleep on that shoulder.

13. Mr D, a 71 year old man, has a severe ache in the shoulder and midback since working above his head. Trapped nerve tests are negative but he has advanced degenerative joints of Luschka; after just two treatments he is 50 percent better. Can we reach 90?

And so the day goes; chiropractors shouldn't be treating the elderly most medical sites state but that's so much bunkum.

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