|

patellor tendonitis

Byefeagin Updated on

What is patellar tendonitis
Patellar tendonitis occurs when the patellar tendon — the tendon that connects the bottom of the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia) — becomes injured or inflamed, causing pain at the lower part of the kneecap. While patellar tendonitis can affect anyone, it’s often referred to as “jumper’s knee” because it’s a common injury among athletes who participate in sports that require a lot of jumping, like volleyball, track and field, and basketball.

What causes patellar tendonitis?
The patellar tendon works with the thigh muscles to straighten your leg. Simply overloading the patellar tendon by doing more activity than normal can cause some pain, says Cody Anderson, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. “Often, weekend warriors are affected by patellar tendonitis. For instance, if you normally play soccer once a week, but participate in a tournament and play six games over the weekend, you might hurt after that.“

Certain activities tend to put a high load on the patellar tendon. A top cause is — you guessed it — jumping. “Jumping creates a large load because you have to propel yourself up, plus slow yourself down when you land,” explains Dr. Anderson. Other activities that are common contributors include sports like volleyball, track and field (long jump or high jump), basketball, skiing, and weight lifting.

Patellar tendonitis symptoms
The symptoms of patellar tendonitis typically include:

  • Knee pain 

  • Pain in the knee that worsens with activity, especially when jumping, squatting, running, or going up and down stairs

  • Swelling

  • Tenderness when pressing just below the kneecap 

  • Knee stiffness

Patellar tendonitis treatment
The following interventions can be used to treat pain related to patellar tendonitis: 

  • Activity modification. A physical therapist (PT) can recommend exercises, like the ones above, to strengthen and restore range of motion in your patellar tendon. Working with a professional can also give you confidence to challenge your knee enough to heal without aggravating it. You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health to access a PT via telehealth/video visit.

  • Activity modification. It’s okay to scale back on activity until the worst of your knee pain has passed, but it’s important to keep moving to help your body heal. Focus on gentle movement like walking and stretching to let the pain and inflammation subside while you take steps to build strength in the tendon, says Dr. Anderson. Once the initial pain and swelling has subsided, you can start gradually adding load to the tendon to strengthen and heal it with targeted patellar tendonitis exercises. 

  • Compression. As you ease into activity, orthotic taping or a patellar tendon strap can help reduce strain across the tendon caused by jumper’s knee. Patellar tendon straps are worn just below the kneecap. They are designed to apply targeted pressure to the patellar tendon. This pressure helps distribute the load across the tendon more evenly. This can help alleviate pain during activities and allow you to continue moving and strengthening your knee. 

  • Cold therapy. Apply ice for 10-20 minutes at a time to help constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the affected area. This decreases swelling and inflammation. Apply ice immediately after physical activity, or whenever you have pain, to numb the area and get quick pain relief. 

  • Over-the-counter medication. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be helpful for knee pain. It’s important to make sure that you are safely able to take these medications, based on your medical history. 

Hinge Health can help you with chronic pain
With Hinge Health, you can get virtual physical therapy and more from real people who are dedicated to helping you feel your best.

Specialized care, personalized for you.

  • A care plan designed for your everyday activities and long-term goals — and to treat multiple areas of your body at once.
  • Access exercise therapy sessions you can do in as little as 15 minutes — anytime, anywhere with the Hinge Health app.
  • Get 1-on-1 support from a physical therapist or health coach to tailor your sessions as needed and help you reach your goals

To check for eligibility visit, hinge.health/tamus-join. Your eligible Blue Cross and Blue Shield insurance plan will cover the program cost if you are accepted.

Available to A&M System employees, retirees and their dependents age 18+ enrolled in the A&M Care Plan, J Plan and 65 Plus Medicare Advantage Plan (PPO).

Similar Posts