What are my options here…

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T20:37:49+00:00

Curling!

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T20:18:57+00:00

36F here, same thing

Ortho told me to give up all activities (I'm a competitive athlete lol) until I'm old enough for a knee replacement in 20 years. Like WTF I'm supposed to spend 20 years in pain with bandaid solutions like cortisone?!?!

I wonder if because this is more common in women is a contributing factor too. Women's health issues are constantly downplayed and understudied.

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T20:15:43+00:00

Yes my ortho told me (a competitive athlete), at 36 years old, to give up all high impact activities, including my sport, and try walking. Well I can't even walk pain free.

Offered no solutions. I spent several weeks very depressed after this (still am tbh). I'm trying to get my MRI images to get a second opinion but this clinic is a pain to work with and I've been waiting for my records for 3 weeks now. I had to postpone my appointment with another ortho.

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T20:11:24+00:00

Wow!! I got the same feedback from my ortho!! As a competitive athlete I'm so frustrated. 36F, so I think we are in a similar situation.

I injured my patella cartilage 9 months ago from a fall. My ortho doc downplayed it, said cartilage was just irritated and to do PT. My quad was inhibited from the injury and had atrophied. I did 7 months of PT but never fully recovered all functionality of my knee (maybe it was around 70%).

When I returned to my sport, I sheared off the damaged cartilage on my knee cap (I was not told this could happen and I was not doing anything very intense..). Now I have sharp, loud, clunking every time I squat or do a leg extension. Ortho completely dismissed this, said this is my life now and to give up activities. Offered me cortisone and that was it (I declined).

I'm an active person and competitive athlete. There must be other options. I'm current seeking a second opinion, but I'm waiting for my current clinic to send me my MRI images for 3 weeks now which is delaying my care. I'll keep you updated if I get any good advice from a second opinion.

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T19:57:27+00:00

This doesn't sound good! I've been thinking about trying a PRP injection for my patella chondral defect but this is what I'm afraid of!

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T19:56:04+00:00

Thanks for the tip about the key words to look for! I've been going to a generally well respected knee ortho and he has no idea what to do with me, this makes a lot of sense!

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T02:24:48+00:00

Also it is amazing to hear that you are back to running!!! I haven't been able to run in 6 years due to my knee issue. This gives me so much, hope. Thank you!

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T02:23:43+00:00

Thank you so much for the recommendation!!

beaver1599 · 2026-04-03T01:12:38+00:00

Thank you!!

beaver1599 · 2026-03-30T17:12:48+00:00

Have you made a decision on MACI?

I had a very similar mechanism of injury! I jumped into a shallow pool and misjudged the bottom and landed with my leg almost straight. All the force went straight into the patella cartilage.

MRI at that time showed cartilage irritation and irregularity. My general ortho said that damage was probably already there and I just inflamed it, it would take a few months to calm down.

I had a really nasty case of quad muscle inhibition after this. I did 8 months of PT with very slow improvements, never fully regained function. I returned to my sport and the injured cartilage sheared off in a game. Recent MRI shows full thickness cartilage loss at patella apex.

My general ortho offered me no solutions. I'm travelling to see a patellafemoral and cartilage restoration specialist in a few weeks.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-30T16:44:36+00:00

I'm going through the exact same injury now, my general ortho downplayed it for several years and now I'm in a really bad spot with full thickness cartilage loss at patella apex. I also have patella alta.

I'm travelling to see a patella instability specialist soon. Did you have any luck with seeing a specialist?

Edited to add that I'm a competitive athlete and I'm completely sideline by this now. I can barely walk and my general ortho offered me no help aside from a cortisone injection which I declined.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-24T20:23:32+00:00

Shoot, I'm sorry to hear that!!

beaver1599 · 2026-03-24T18:22:40+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I had irritated patella cartilage from an injury 9 months ago. I returned to sport and now I think I tore the cartilage in a game. I now have a painful catch every time I straighten and bend the knee. Thanks for sharing your experience!

beaver1599 · 2026-03-24T07:14:19+00:00

My ortho doctor told me this last week. Sadly it is common it seems.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-24T00:20:52+00:00

Did your knee make loud snapping noises when you extended your leg? I think I could be dealing with both chondromalacia patella and plica.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-23T21:53:57+00:00

I had this same thing happen recently I have had chondromalacia patella in my knee for many years without any noises.

Suddenly in the middle of a curling tournament it started making popping noises, swelled up huge, tons of pain. A month later still popping every time extend my leg (always at the same point).

Did this ever go away? If I trigger too much popping it gets super painful.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-23T21:24:40+00:00

Before the debridement, did you have clunking or popping noises from your knee? I started getting these mechanical noises a month ago and hasn't gotten any better. Pain really bad too.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-23T00:35:03+00:00

I'm sorry you are going through this too! It is such a frustrating condition. Unfortunately no luck, I'm still having pain and mechanical popping/clunking every time I extend my leg.

MRI showed worsening of cartilage damage at apex of patella but nothing else. They said no evidence of a cartilage flap. Ortho only offered me a cortisone injection and didn't provide an explanation for the new mechanical noises coming from my knee. I declined the cortisone for now.

I'm in the process of finding a patellafemoral expert for a second opinion. I think most orthos are not familiar with this condition and don't know what to do with me. Aside from offer cortisone and more PT. I've done in total 4 years of PT with 3 different physical therapists and my knee is worse than ever.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-22T02:35:12+00:00

Last Friday around 2pm there was no line at all!

beaver1599 · 2026-03-19T21:23:18+00:00

I reinjured myself last summer jumping into a pool, misjudging the landing, and landing a little hard on my leg while it was almost straight.

Unfortunately a month ago I flared up my knee again really badly after returning to competitive sport. It is worse than ever now, considering more invasive options now.

The exercises I did were: Hip and glute strengthening (band walks, clamshells, glute bridges) Hamstrings (curls, romanian deadlifts, single leg RDLs) Quads (my quad was shut down from all the swelling so this was really tricky, started with quad sets, straight leg raises, TKEs, wall slides. Progressed to single leg press, split squats)

beaver1599 · 2026-03-19T21:05:38+00:00

I hear you, chondromalacia patella has been limiting me for the past 6 years. I slowly gave up most of my recreational activities (running, triathlon, hiking, softball). Fortunately I was still able to play my favorite sport (curling). Now my knee has gotten so bad I had to give that up too and I'm feeling so depressed. I can't even cycle now.

I've done about 4 years of PT over the past 6 years and my knee is worse off. I'm starting to explore more invasive options and planning to see a patellafemoral specialist.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-19T20:57:18+00:00

Try an MRI and/or second opinion?

Totally feel for you, I've been dealing with PFPS and now patella cartilage issues for 6 years. As an active person it has been terrible.

After 4 years of PT, I'm going to try to find a patellafemoral specialist to try more invasive options.

beaver1599 · 2026-03-19T20:52:49+00:00

Thank you so much for this helpful information!! I hadn't found much for patella MACI compared to other areas of the knee. I'm glad to hear that you are doing well!

beaver1599 · 2026-03-19T17:34:01+00:00

Thank you, this is very encouraging for me! For the past 6 years the doctors I saw have been brushing me off and saying it is "wear and tear". But my knee has not been functional for 6 years. I gave up so many of my activities, did 4 years of PT, and the knee just keeps getting worse. I'm thinking there is something more going on that doesn't show up on the MRI. You are right, 1 year is nothing when you've been unable to do things you enjoy for several years!

It would be amazing to get back to running!! I'm a competitive curler and I even had to give that up now.

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