Patella Tendinitis

Better known as ‘Jumpers knee’. This is an injury to the tendon connecting your knee cap to your shin bone. It is an overuse injury from repetitive overloading of the extensor mechanism (quadriceps muscle) of the knee. The micro tears exceed the body’s healing mechanism unless the activity is stopped. This means that your body’s immune system has not had the time to respond and repair the area before the time of your next session/game.

You may experience pain at the front of your knee and on most occasions,  you can put your finger on the exact spot – or acknowledge it when palpated by a practitioner. The pain behaviour will increase when involved in jumping activities and/or when your involved in repeat bending and straightening of the knee, it may feel stiff and sore in the beginning of activity and then settle as you warm up. Proceeding play, it may start to be sore once cooled down.

If you begin to notice this, take a break for a day or at the very least reduce your load by 50% as a minimum and ice it, and then get your knee treated.

If assessed by our practitioner’s, they will critique possible precipitating factors. Generally in this type of overuse injury, something has not been functioning right for some time now for an ‘overuse’ to occur, and the symptom is just a result of this. Factors include tightness especially to the quadriceps and hip flexor muscles, subnormal biomechanics of your pelvis and core, calf weakness, foot wear and load management.

Do not let this ‘niggle’ hang around and believe that ‘it will go away’. Book your appointment today.