WytchDctr,
What you're making reference to is called Chondromalacia patellae. Yah, I know it's a tough one to spell, let alone pronounce. This is known as a softening of the cartilage around the knee cap and as you bend your knee the knee cap (patella) comes in contact with the main bone of the leg (femur and or thigh bone). This causes inflammation and pain as you have been experiencing. In a small amount of cases it leads to osteoarthritis (OA). There are no known tests (ex. Blood, MRI or CT scan) that are diagnostic for this condition.
Some other things it could be:
1. Tendinitis of the knee (aka: jumpers knee)
2. Plica Syndrome (anterior (front of knee) medial pain (to the inside part of knee and not the inside of the joint) knee pain).
3.Osteoarthritis(OA), usually seen in the elderly or after many impact injuries (ex. sport injuries).
Here's some things you can try.
1. Leg extension exercises. In a seated position extend the lower leg as far up as you can so now the knee joint isn't bent. Let the knee joint bend about 10 degrees and then go into full extension again so the knee joint is straight again. Do this approximately 25 times in the morning and at night. If you experience increased pain while doing this stop and apply ice for 20 minutes. If it seems to irritate it even after you've tried it several days discontinue doing them. This is done to make the Vastus Medialis Obliquis muscle stronger. If in fact the muscle is weaker it will help the problem, by aligning the knee cap with the knee joint properly so yo don't have the irritating rubbing that leads to pain and inflammation.
2. Stretching the hamstrings, quadricepts, and gastrocnemius muscles.
3. Applying ice for 20 minutes then off for an hour then applying ice 20 minutes again.
The inflammation process is what need to be controlled and those 3 ways should help do it.
You can keep taking the 800 motrin you have been also.
Drink some pineapple juice or eat some fresh pineapples. They have anti-inflammatory properties.
You can also get some Bromelain. Bromelain is concentrated Pineapple bark extract that is even more potent than pineapple juice for reducing inflammation and pain.
Here's a site found for you to check out.
http://www.orthoseek.com/articles/chondromp.html
Keep me posted!
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