Pain in Knees

Q:  I recently moved, which involved a lot of lifting and walking up and down stairs. Since then I have had pain in my knees. Also with any lifting, I will be sore the next day.

Is there anything I can do to help the healing process and avoid problems in the future? Will this heal in time? I am 50 years old and look forward to another 30 years of the "the good life."

A:  The knee pain you're experiencing is probably due to "chondromalacia patallae" rather than arthritis. Degeneration and softening of the cartilage behind the patella (kneecap) is the cause of this condition, which is common in young adult joggers. Pain is usually located right around or under the knee cap and is worsened by stair climbing, kneeling, going from a sitting position to standing, or jogging. Often there may also be some swelling and a grating sound when the knee is bent or straightened. People with flat feet or "knock knees" or some hip abnormalities may be more prone to developing chondromalacia.

As soon as the pain develops, you need to rest the knee and avoid vigorous activity. Application of ice and anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin or ibuprofen will help to decrease the swelling. It may take several weeks before the pain completely subsides.

There are several things you can do to help prevent recurrence of the problem. You may need to curtail stair climbing or kneeling down to wash the floor or whatever activity brings on the pain. Proper shoes can make a big difference. In addition, the most important preventive measure is to strengthen the quadricep muscles (the large muscles on the front of the thighs) by special exercises or weight training.

"Dear Doctor" is a compilation of patient questions answered by doctors from the Medical College of Wisconsin.