▁problems ▁within ▁the ▁kne e . ▁Test s ▁are ▁not ▁necessarily ▁needed ▁for ▁diagn osis , ▁but ▁in ▁some ▁situations ▁it ▁may ▁confirm ▁diagn osis ▁or ▁rule ▁out ▁other ▁causes ▁for ▁pain . ▁Comm only ▁used ▁tests ▁are ▁blood ▁tests , ▁M RI ▁sc ans , ▁and ▁ar th ro sc opy . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁term ▁ch ond rom al acia ▁sometimes ▁refers ▁to ▁ab normal - app ear ing ▁cart il age ▁anywhere ▁in ▁the ▁body , ▁it ▁most ▁commonly ▁denotes ▁ir rit ation ▁of ▁the ▁unders ide ▁of ▁the ▁kne ec ap ▁( or ▁" pat ella "). ▁ ▁The ▁pat ella ' s ▁posterior ▁surface ▁is ▁covered ▁with ▁a ▁layer ▁of ▁smooth ▁cart il age , ▁which ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁fem ur ▁normally ▁gl ides ▁smooth ly ▁against ▁when ▁the ▁kne e ▁is ▁bent . ▁However , ▁in ▁some ▁individuals ▁the ▁kne ec ap ▁tends ▁to ▁rub ▁against ▁one ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁kne e ▁joint , ▁ir rit ating ▁the ▁cart il age ▁and ▁causing ▁kne e ▁pain . ▁ ▁Tre at ment ▁In ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁cart il age ▁damage , ▁pain ▁at ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁kne e ▁due ▁to ▁over use ▁can ▁be ▁managed ▁with ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁R ICE ▁( rest , ▁ice , ▁compression , ▁elev ation ), ▁anti - infl am mat ory ▁medic ations , ▁and ▁phys i other apy . ▁ ▁Usually ▁ch ond rom al acia ▁develop s ▁without ▁sw elling ▁or ▁bru ising ▁and ▁most ▁individuals ▁benefit ▁from