Torn Cartilage on back of Patella Tendon

by John
(NY)

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

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

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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.

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