Associations among chondromalacia patella and meniscopathy in youthful, active individuals with chronic anterior knee pain

Chronic forms of anterior knee issues are an increasingly more common condition from the clinical standpoint, mostly within active individuals. Incidence and risk factors have not been clearly defined of yet, though, patellar chondromalacia is one of the most likely causes. In our study, we aimed to investigate the possible relationship between patellar chondromalacia and meniscopathy in young and active patients without tibiofemoral joint arthrosis and patellar instability. Patients between the ages of 18-39, complaining of anterior knee discomfort and who had undertaken MRI between April 1 and May 31, 2021 at Malatya Training Research Hospital, Radiology Department were screened. Conditions such as significant patellar tilt/shift/translation, alta/baja and trochlear dysplasia were studied and measurements taken according to the methods specified in the literature. In this respect, patients outside of normal limits, those with osteochondoral lesions in the tibiofemoral joint or patients admitted after acute trauma were disqualified from the study. 337 receipients of MRIs of the knee, with chondromalacia and/or meniscopathy were reviewed. The average or mean age of the group was calculated as 28.66 ± 6.40, with 52.2% (n=176) between the ages of 18-29, and 61.1% (n=206) were women. Chondromalacia was present in 40.7% (n=137), lateral meniscal degeneration in 58.5% (n=197), medial meniscus degeneration in 82.8% (n=279), a lateral meniscus tear in 4.2% (n=14), a medial meniscal tear in 12.5% (n=42). In this study, no difference was found in terms of the coexistence and/or frequency of medial or lateral meniscopathy and patellar chondromalacia.

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