Elder Cheney's knee problem.

We appreciate all of you who have Elder Cheney in your prayers these past few weeks as he as been dealing with knee problems.  He has been frustrated that he has been in pain the past 6 weeks, and he is feeling some what discouraged.  They have a plan that will hopefully solve the problem.  So many of you have shown us your concern and we appreciate that.  He did not have any knee problems before his mission so this has been quite a puzzle as to what and why.   I thought I would give you some more information on what exactly he has been diagnosed on his knee.  Please continue to pray for him, that his knee will heal and that he will be able to stay in Singapore and serve. We are hopeful that his knee will show some signs of healing soon.

Your kneecap is normally positioned over the joint of your knee. When you bend your knee, the movement causes the backside of your kneecap to glide over the bones of the knee, specifically the femur or thigh bone.  Tendons and ligaments attach your kneecap to your shinbone and your thigh muscle to the kneecap.  When any of these components fails to move properly, it can cause your kneecap to rub up against your bone, leading to deterioration in the patella—i.e., Chondromalacia or runner’s knee.

Chondromalacia will typically present itself with pain in the knee region, known as patellofemoral pain.  You may feel sensations of grinding or cracking when bending or extending your knee.  Pain may worsen after sitting for a prolonged period of time or during activities that apply extreme pressure to your knees, like standing for an extended period or exercising.

The goal of treatment is to reduce the pressure on your kneecap and joint.  Resting, stabilizing, and icing the joint may be the first line of treatment. The cartilage damage resulting in runner’s knee can often repair itself with rest.