chondromalacia patellae
noun
variants:
or chondromalacia patella
Medical Definition of chondromalacia patellae
: pain over the front of the knee with softening of the articular cartilage of the patella — see runner's knee
In chondromalacia patellae, the cartilage has softened and crumbled. Fortunately, the damage can heal itself, but it requires rest.— Paul Donohue, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 29 Feb. 1996