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Jumpers Knee
Jumpers Knee ( patellar tendinopathy - patellar tendinitis ).
First
of all you have to know that patella tendinopathy ( jumpers knee
) is the degenration
of the patellar tendon. Tendinopathy stands for the degeneration of a tendon.
Tenditis is the inflammation of a tendon and does not perfectly fit
to this article.
As the two things often go hand in hand i mentioned both in the headline.
So patellar tendinopathy, also know as "jumpers knee" is the degenration
( plus sometimes the inflammation or partial rupture )
of the patellar ligament which connects the knee cap ( patella )
with the big shin bone ( tibia ).
Find more injury related topics at injuries main.
Description: Jumpers Knee
- The patellar tendon connects the knee cap with the shin bone.
This tendon is usually very strong and helps the quadriceps to extend the leg.
( the hamstring bends, the quadriceps extends )
So when you jump, it's the qaudriceps and your patellar tendon doing most of the work. ( getting most of the stress )
( the rest comes from the calves - by extending you ankles )
When you land after a jump, again it's the quadriceps and the patellar tendon which get stressed most.
Especially people who practice sports involving a lot of jumping and direction changing ( like wushu, volleyball, basketball etc.)
are in a high risk of jumpers knees.
As a result of repeated strain, micro-tears or collagen degeneration
may occur.
Symptoms: Jumpers Knee
- Pain under and on the knee cap.
- After exercising your knee might feel stiff.
- When you contract your quadriceps or do a one-leged squat, the area under the knee cap hurts.
- Calf weakness can be present.
- Weak legs.
- Bad balance.
Who is susceptible: Jumpers Knee
- People who practice sports involving a lot of jumping and landing or fast direction changing.
- Especially Wushu and XMA if practiced on hard ground.
- Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer ( if played on sticky ground ), Badminton, Tennis
Treatment: Jumpers Knee
- Grade 1: When the knee only hurts after training
- You can continue with your routine, but should apply cold therapy ( ice ) to the knee ( point of pain ) after workouts.
- Use a knee support. ( to support the tendon and keep the knee warm during training )
- Exercises to strength quadriceps and patella tendon. For example slow leg extension with or without weights.
( more than 20 repetitions per set... no heavy weights )
- Consult a sports injury specialist and / or therapist. What he can do:...
- Anti-inflammatory medication.
- Ultrasound or laser treatment.
- Massage techniques.
- Rehab program.
- Grade 2: Pain before and after training ( reduces when warmed up )
- Change your routine to reduce the load on the tendon.
- Stop jumping or sprinting activities and replace them with steady running or swimming / running in water if necessary.
- Consult a sports injury specialist and / or therapist.
- Grade 3: Too much pain for training. ( can't concentrate on your training becasue of the pain )
- Stop your current routine. You can swim
and cycle instead.
- Consult your doctor.
- Massage techniques.
- Start a rehabilitation program. Stretching, strengthening etc.
- Grade 4: Pain during the whole day.
- Rest 2 to 3 month.
- Consult your doctor.
- Massage techniques.
- Start rehabilitation immediately.
- If the knee does not respond to anything, surgery may be necessary.
- Excision of the affected area of the tendon or lateral release where small cuts are made
at the sides of the patellar tendon. This takes off pressure.
( please don´t try this at home )
Of course a surgery should be your last choice. After a
surgery it will take you at least 6 month or a year untill
you can go back to normal training.
Long
rest time, intensive rehabilitation and strengthening program etc. etc. etc.
Trainer advice: Jumpers Knee
- Warm up and stretch before you work out.
- Work with weights from time to time.
If you work
with weights to regenrate you degenrated patellar tendon, you should
work with 20 repetitions or more.
If you only do 5 repetition or less per set, you will probably make your jumpers knee even worse.
Related topics: Jumpers Knee
Videos: Jumpers Knee
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