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Treatments for Patellar Tendonitis

Remember the old rhyme about the knee bone being connected to the shin bone? Well, that knee bone is the patella, actually the knee cap, and when the tendon connecting the knee cap to the shinbone is injured, patellar tendonitis is often the result. Patellar tendinitis is most common in athletes whose sports involve frequent jumping--basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball. For this reason, patellar tendinitis is commonly known as jumper's knee. Just this summer, Rafael Nadal was knocked out of Wimbledon with patellar tendonitis. However, anyone can suffer from patellar tendinitis, whether a frequent jumper or not.

  1. General Treatment

    • No matter what type of treatment you and your doctor have chosen, patellar tendinitis treatment is a long process. In fact, the Mayo Clinic reports that "recovery may take a few weeks or months if the injury isn't too severe, or as long as a year or more for people who undergo surgery." However, for most people, treatment is a bit more conservative and consists of physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication and rest.

    Conservative Treatment

    • Conservative treatment for patellar tendinitis will reduce the strain on your tendon and then gradually build up the tendon's strength. Your doctor may suggest several techniques to accomplish this, including rest, which means avoiding running and jumping; adjusting your body mechanics so you can better distribute the force you exert during physical activity; stretching your muscles; strengthening your tendon through exercise; and using a patellar tendon strap or massage. Patellar tendinitis usually lasts for several weeks or months.

    Causes

    • Don't you love it when you ask a doctor why you have something and she says, "I don't know"? Well, if you are diagnosed with patella tendonitis you're liable to get that very answer. See, doctors don't really know what causes this condition, but they think it is because of a number of factors. They include intensity and frequency of physical activity, such as repeated jumping, being overweight, tight leg muscles, misalignment of your leg, a raised kneecap or muscular imbalance.

    Conservative Treatment

    • Conservative treatment for patellar tendinitis will reduce the strain on your tendon and then gradually build up the tendon's strength. Your doctor may suggest several techniques to accomplish this, including rest, which means avoiding running and jumping; adjusting your body mechanics so you can better distribute the force you exert during physical activity; stretching your muscles; strengthening your tendon through exercise; using a patellar tendon strap or massage. Patellar tendinitis lasts for several weeks or months.

    Surgery

    • If the conservative approaches don't alleviate the problem, your doctor may recommend surgery. According to the Mayo Clinic, "there is little research into the best surgical techniques for patellar tendinitis, so the procedure you undergo often depends largely on your injury, as well as your surgeon's preferred method. Surgery may include repairing any tears in your tendon or removing any badly damaged parts of your tendon." Other treatments can include anti-inflammatory medications, shock wave therapy and more physical therapy.

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