Patellar tendonitis, also called jumper's knee, is inflammation in the band of tissue (the patellar tendon) that connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia).
The most common activity causing patellar tendonitis is too much jumping. Other repeated activities such as running, walking, or bicycling may lead to patellar tendonitis. All of these activities put repeated stress on the patellar tendon, causing it to be inflamed.
Patellar tendonitis can also happen to people who have problems with the way their hips, legs, knees, or feet are aligned. This alignment problem can result from having wide hips, being knock-kneed, or having feet with arches that collapse when you walk or run, a condition called over-pronation.
The patellar tendon may sometimes tear completely, or rupture, during strenuous activity.
Symptoms may include:
If your patellar tendon is ruptured, usually you will have sudden severe pain and you will be unable to straighten your leg or walk.
Your health care provider will examine your knee to see if you have tenderness at the patellar tendon. He or she will also have you run, jump, or squat to see if this causes pain. Your feet will be examined to see if you have a problem with over-pronation. Your provider may order x-rays or an MRI of your knee.
Treatment may include:
If your patellar tendon is ruptured, you will need surgery right away to repair it. If you have a lot of scar tissue in or around your tendon causing pain you may need surgery to remove it.
You will be given rehabilitation exercises to help you return to your sport or activity. While you are recovering from your injury you will need to change your sport or activity to one that does not make your condition worse. For example, you may need to swim instead of play basketball.
The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury at a different rate. Return to your sport or activity will be determined by how soon your knee recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury occurred. In general, the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment, the longer it will take to get better.
You may safely return to your sport or activity when, starting from the top of the list and progressing to the end, each of the following is true:
Patellar tendonitis is usually caused by overuse during activities such as jumping or running or biking uphill. It can best be prevented by having strong thigh muscles.
The following may also help prevent injury: