Saturday 30 April 2011

Chondromalacia Patella Exercises

Before getting into what chondromalacia patella exercises are and what they do for you, let us first learn a little something more about what 'chondromalacia patella' is all about. One of the most common symptoms that people complain about is knee pain and while there are several reasons that can lead to knee pain, one of the most common reasons is that of increasing and constant pressure on the knees that includes the kneecaps (patella) as well.

When the tissue surrounding the kneecap begins to wear out (due to age and due to added pressure that is put on the knees) there is additional friction that takes place and therefore there is pain and discomfort, this condition is known as chondromalacia patella and affects almost all individuals in the age gap of 15-60. This condition requires that additional care be taken so that it does not rupture the knees and damage it further. For that purpose, there are several chondromalacia patella exercises that have been formulated. Those which should be done and those that should be avoided. In the article that follows, we shall be looking at some of these chondromalacia patella physical therapy exercises for this knee problem.

Chondromalacia Patella Treatment Exercises

The chondromalacia patella symptoms include acute knee pain, tightness in the knees, grinding sound of the knees and a general discomfort that makes certain activities difficult. To deal with these symptoms, it is important to administer chondromalacia of the patella exercises so that the knee is strengthened and there is less discomfort and more movement. The first and foremost thing that needs to be done is that the essential treatment which includes ice packs, heat packs and over the counter painkillers. After the initial treatment methods have been taken care of, there is a need to bring into action certain chondromalacia patella exercises that will help to strengthen the knee and by way of calf exercises to regain its lost vigor. Here are some of those knee exercises.

Calf Stretch

   1. Stand facing a wall and keep both feet firmly on the ground.
   2. Stretch the right leg at the back and bend the left leg.
   3. Extend both arms in the front and push the wall.
   4. You'll feel a stretch in your calf muscles. Hold for 10-15 seconds and release.
   5. Do 5 repetitions. Repeat with the other leg.

Hamstring Stretch

   1. Use the support of a chair or a stool and place one leg, fully extended on it.
   2. Balance yourself well before slowly bending forward at the hips and holding the ankles of the extended leg with your hand.
   3. Do this till you feel a stretch in the calf.
   4. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat 5 times. Repeat the same with the other leg.

Leg Lift

   1. Lie on your elbows so that you mimic a semi-crunch.
   2. Bend one leg and place the feet firmly against the ground while you keep the other one completely erect and straight.
   3. Now try and lift the complete foot off the ground without bending it.
   4. If you can manage that, lift it further to a 45 degree angle and hold for 2 seconds before gently bringing it down.
   5. You should not attempt to do this exercise if the knee bends while lifting.
   6. Repeat 10-15 times.

Wall Slide

   1. Stand with your back and buttock stuck to a wall.
   2. Maintain a distance of 12 inches between your feet and 6 inches from the wall.
   3. Slowly bend at the knees (very gently, and not very intensely) and start to slide down the wall till you achieve a 45 degree flex.
   4. Stay in this position for 5 seconds and slide back up.
   5. Do this slowly as well and not at all if it aggravates the pain in any way or leads to any noises and cracking.

Chondromalacia Patella Exercises to Avoid

Along with doing the leg exercises mentioned above, it is extremely important that you do not pressurize your knee. And that means that you should avoid all those workout routines that involve those exercises that place pressure on the knees. Here are some of those exercises.

    * Cycling (if the seat is kept high)
    * Skipping
    * Volleyball
    * Step aerobic exercises
    * Squash
    * Football
    * Basketball
    * Running and jogging
    * Lunges
    * Squats
    * Jumping jacks
    * Skiing

These were some of the chondromalacia patella exercises that you should be following and those that you should be avoiding. If there is ever any severe knee pain, it is better to get it checked by your doctor so that they can check to see if there is chondromalacia patella and administer immediate treatment for the same, if it is that.

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