Patella Tendinitis

Who

Jumpers knee (Patella Tendonitis or Tendinopathy) is a common sporting injury among those who play basketball, netball, volleyball and tennis. It can also occur in retired athletes and the elderly due to repetitive trauma through the knee.

What

The patella tendon is located just below your knee cap and is the attachment for your Quad muscles to the shin bone. The role of the tendon is to transfer the force of landing as your knee straightens.

Common symptoms include:

• Pain at the front of the knee
• Pain aggravated by running, jumping or landing
• Swelling of the knee
• Tenderness to touch the tendon
• Stiffness in the morning

How

The main cause of Jumpers knee is of course repetitive jumping and landing. At first the damage is generally only minor and likely wont cause any discomfort however after a period of time, the bodies ability to repair the minor damage is exceeded by the damage getting done to the tendon.

Assessment and Management

The team at are experts in the assessment and management of all sporting injuries. We will MTM Physiotherapy Warwick ensure that your injury is correctly diagnosed through a range of physical tests and if indicated the use of medical imaging.

With regards to the specific management of Patella Tendinopathy it is important that the tendon is unloaded for a period of time. The research of late with regards to tendon injuries show that strengthening should be done in a controlled manner and at first under the watchful eye of your Physiotherapist.

Initially ice over the painful area is an effective way to reduce inflammation of the tendon.

The Physiotherapists at utilise the following treatments:

MTM Physiotherapy Warwick

• Massage
• Joint Mobilisations
• Dry Needling
• Electrotherapy if indicated
• Taping
• Home exercise programs (strength, range of motion and balance)
• Home management advice
• Exercise rehabilitation in the gym

Warwick Workout

• Return to sport fitness testing and training on the courts Warwick Stadium