Patellar tendinopathy
What is it?
Patellar tendinopathy is the wearing away of the tendon that joins the kneecap (patella) to the shin bone (tibia). It's also called 'jumper's knee' because the injury commonly occurs during jumping sports such as basketball, netball or volleyball. It's also sometimes referred to as patellar tendonitis.
Symptoms
The main symptom is pain just below the kneecap. You may also have stiffness or tightness around the knee, and you may find that the pain is worse if you jump or hop. Some people also have pain in the front of their knee when they tense their thigh muscle.You usually get symptoms when you start exercising. They then settle once you've warmed up, only to return when you stop exercising or the next morning. If you ignore the injury and continue to exercise regularly, the pain will get gradually worse until you have it all the time.
Causes
Patellar tendinopathy is a common overuse injury. Jumping causes repeated strain to the patellar tendon resulting in changes to its structure such as small tears or cysts.
You're more likely to get patellar tendinopathy if you have:
- recently changed your training programme
- shortened the length of your rest times
- problems with body movement (biomechanics)
- poor muscle flexibility
Treatment
Patellar tendinopathy doesn't usually get better on its own, so it's important to seek medical treatment. A sports medicine professional, such as a physiotherapist or sports medicine doctor, will be able to diagnose the problem and give you a treatment plan. This will involve an exercise programme, usually strengthening exercises, and massage.
A biomechanical assessment may be recommended, as well as treatment from a podiatrist to prevent the injury from happening again. A podiatrist is a healthcare professional who specialises in treating lower leg, ankle and foot conditions.
There's no quick fix for patellar tendinopathy. You may need a long period of rehabilitation before your symptoms go completely. However, the earlier you get treatment, the quicker your recovery is likely to be.
Do
- Use ice on the area just below your kneecap until the swelling goes down. Don't apply ice directly to your skin as it can give you an 'ice burn' - place a cloth between the ice and skin.
- Stretch your thighs and calf muscles regularly.
Don't
- Ignore the problem. The pain often gets better as the tendon warms up when you exercise. However, this may cause further damage, leading to more pain and a longer recovery time.
- Continue with high impact exercises that aggravate your knee, for example running and jumping.
Peer reviewed by David Toy MCSP, Bupa Sports Medicine physiotherapist
Publication date: June 2009
