Patella Tendinitis
Patella tendinitis (sometimes referred to as "jumper’s knee") is an overuse injury that affects the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shin bone. Patella tendinitis occurs when you place repeated stress on your patellar tendon, often when you suddenly increase the intensity or frequency of your workouts.
Although patella tendinitis is most common in athletes whose sports involve frequent jumping (for instance, basketball, soccer, and volleyball players), anyone can suffer from this condition. Patella tendinitis may be accompanied by bursitis, which can result in pain when you move or put pressure on the area.
Symptoms
The symptom of patella tendinitis is pain between the kneecap (patella) and the area where the tendon attaches to the shin bone. The pain may:
- Feel sharp during activity and persist as a dull ache at rest
- Increase with intensity of activity
- Make going up and down stairs painful
- Become a constant ache that can make it difficult to sleep at night
SSPT’s approach to treating patella tendinitis
Your treatment at SSPT will focus on reducing the strain on your tendon and then gradually building up the tendon’s strength. Your treatment may include:
- Joint and soft tissue mobilization
- Modalities such as ultrasound electrical stimulation to help to provide pain relief
- Therapeutic activities and exercises to stretch the inflexible muscles, especially the quadriceps, that can contribute to the strain on your patellar tendon
- Education on proper body mechanics to help you learn to better distribute the force you exert during physical activity
