The patellar tendon connects the tibia with the patella. Patellar tendonitis can develop when tissue collagen breaks down due to repetitive motion, chronic stiffness of the hamstrings or because it has difficulty regenerating over time. Although the problem usually heals on its own, in some cases it can get worse and, if not treated properly, can lead to degeneration of the tendon itself. This disorder is quite common among athletes and affects more than 20% of all athletes who practice activities that involve jumping. Full recovery takes 6 to 12 months after physical therapy.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Diagnosing Patellar Tendinitis
Step 1. Assess knee pain
Symptoms that indicate patellar tendonitis are tenderness to touch in the front of the kneecap when the leg is extended but not fully bent, or pain in the area when standing up after sitting for a long time (for example, when standing up from the knee). cinema chair after watching a movie). It typically consists of a persistent burning or pain that resembles severe heat.
Increasing pain with use is a sign of tendonitis
Step 2. Look for swollen areas around the patellar tendon
If you have this condition, you may experience swelling in the knee area. You may also experience tenderness or sensitivity to touch.
Many cases of patellar tendonitis do not have swelling, so you don't always notice this symptom
Step 3. Schedule a visit to a specialist
Patellar tendonitis is usually diagnosed through a physical exam. In some cases, an MRI may be necessary to obtain accurate images of the knee and to be able to correctly determine the pathology.
Part 2 of 4: Relieve Immediate Discomfort
Step 1. Rest the injured patellar tendon
Avoid engaging in any physical activity that involves running, jumping, or squatting. Do not ignore the annoying pain you feel and, if you have to train, try to take it into account, because you must know that it will not go away by itself; on the contrary, the greater the physical activity, the more the problem gets worse, with the risk of other injuries.
If you are in a lot of pain, you should stop exercising and rest your leg, avoiding all those activities that can aggravate the situation
Step 2. Try applying ice to the knee
If you experience pain or swelling, this can be a good solution. Make a compress by putting ice in a plastic bag and wrap it in a towel. Apply it to the injured area to relieve pain and reduce swelling.
Apply ice for 10 minutes after exercising to reduce pain, but be aware that it won't help you resolve a possible underlying problem
Step 3. Purchase a special patellar tendonitis strap
This is a band that is wrapped around the leg just below the kneecap and offers some support. The strap puts pressure on the inflamed tendon, thereby redistributing the load it has to bear, all of which provides pain relief.
- This is a good brace that you can use during the rehabilitation period.
- You can buy this device in major pharmacies, orthopedics or online.
- Even if you use the strap, keep in mind that it is equally important to give the tendon time to heal.
Step 4. Immobilize the leg
If you feel pain when your leg is at rest, you will likely need a brace to keep it still. Once the resting pain subsides, you can gradually increase your physical activity. However, be sure to train only as far as your leg allows without pain.
If you are in a lot of pain to the point that immobilization of the limb is necessary, you should definitely go to an orthopedist. In this case, you will probably need to rest the knee for as long as necessary until it has healed completely
Part 3 of 4: Conventional Treatments
Step 1. See a physical therapist
Your primary care physician or orthopedist may advise you to see a physical therapist to treat the problem. This specialist will show you exercises to tone and stretch the muscles, including the patella tendon.
- Your physical therapist will probably explain specific hamstring exercises to you. In fact it is believed that very often the main culprits of patellar tendinitis are precisely the too contracted hamstrings.
- These exercises include isometric quadriceps contractions, single leg extensions, eccentric squats, lunges or backward lunges.
Step 2. Try eccentric squats
Your doctor can recommend some exercises to heal the limb. If he has nothing to object to, try eccentric squats. These help strengthen the hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps.
- Stand on a 25 ° incline with your feet parallel, just as wide apart as your hips, and with your heels raised. You can improvise an inclined plane by placing a wooden plank on a sidewalk, but you can also buy one online if you wish.
- Keep your lower back straight. Slowly lower yourself until you are parallel to the ground, squat back instead of leaning forward. Do not jump and do not move with momentum;
- Take three seconds to squat and a second or two to get up;
- Do three sets of 15 repetitions;
- If the exercises are effective, you should start to feel less pain and improve knee function in a relatively short time.
- Apart from skin irritation, there are no side effects. However, this is still a fairly recent procedure, so the long-term effects are not yet known.
Step 3. Consult your doctor about iontophoresis
It is a topical treatment that involves the administration of medicines (painkillers and anti-inflammatories) through electric current. Studies have shown that iontophoresis with corticosteroids improves healing time compared to using a placebo.
Part 4 of 4: Evaluating Advanced Treatments
Step 1. Consider a surgical approach
If chronic patellar tendonitis is suspected, then you may want to consider surgery to remove tissue debris from the knee. Depending on the severity of the situation, your doctor may also repair any tendon tears.
- The orthopedic surgeon fixes the tendon by first drilling holes in the patella. Subsequently, with sutures, the tendon is "tied" to the upper part of the patella. A new surgical procedure involves reattaching the tendon by means of an anchor.
- Most patients are able to leave the hospital on the day of the surgery.
- Subsequently, a course of physiotherapy is essential, according to the surgeon's instructions.
Step 2. Try injecting platelet-enriched plasma (PRP) directly into the knee
These should help the weakened tendon tissue regenerate and heal quickly.
- First, the orthopedist will take a blood sample from you. Subsequently, the sample will be centrifuged to separate the platelet-enriched plasma from the rest of the blood corpuscles. At this point the plasma will be injected into the tendon. The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes.
- These injections are not covered by medical insurance as they have not been proven to be more effective than a placebo.
Step 3. Discuss with your doctor the possibility of undergoing shock wave therapy
This alternative method uses sound waves to mitigate tendon pain.
- Research has shown that shock wave therapy allows the knee to heal and extinguishes pain by regenerating tissue cells.
- This treatment is implemented when the other solutions have not brought the desired results. It is not considered the first line therapy or the best option because it is used more in cases of chronic pain.
