Question

What is the correct way to analyze a term that means "softening of the cartilage"?

Answer 1

Chondromalacia is the synonymous of the cartilage softening (chondro = cartilage, malacia = soft). It's a pathology of softening affecting the joints and more particularly those of the knee (kneecap and femur).

This anomaly can be observed in several circumstances:

• the first is that of direct trauma. It is the cartilaginous lesion occurring before the fracture (fissure) of the cartilage.

• the second is that of common osteoarthritis. It is highly likely that the first stage of osteoarthritis begins with edema (swelling of the cartilage or closed chondropathy) that makes the cartilage less resistant and more vulnerable; this soft cartilage can then crack on its surface (open chondropathy) and these cracks will be more difficult to heal.