Chondromalacia of the patella is the grating or grinding sensation during straightening of the knee. The cause is thought to be related to overuse, trauma and/or abnormal forces on the knee, such as a mildly abnormal alignment of the patella (knee cap) and femur. Symptoms include knee tenderness, pain in the knee after sitting for a prolonged period of time, knee pain that is worse with stairs or getting out of a chair, and a grating sensation in the knee. Once irritated, this complex is very difficult to treat. Custom Foot Orthotics can help this condition by relieving the chronic stress on the patella and re-aligning it in its groove.
