Patellar Tendonitis - Medtick

Patellar Tendonitis

What is it?

Patellar tendonitis

  • Inflammation of the patellar tendon, called patellar tendinitis, weakens the tendon. It may also cause small tears.
  • Patellar tendinitis is most common in people who participate in activities that require running or jumping and/or is more common in runners
  • It is sometimes referred to as ‘Jumper’s knee’

ASOS


Anatomy

  • The patellar tendon (a ligament that connects to two different bones) attaches the bottom of the kneecap (patella) to the top of the shinbone (tibia).
  • The patella is attached to the quadriceps muscles by the quadriceps tendon. Working together, the quadriceps muscles, quadriceps tendon and patellar tendon straighten the knee.
  • Tendons are strong cords of fibrous tissue that attach muscles to bones.
  • The patellar tendon works with the muscles in the front of your thigh to straighten your leg.
  • Patellar tendon tears can be either partial or complete.

Partial tears

  • Many tears do not completely disrupt the soft tissue. This is similar to a rope stretched so far that some of the fibres are frayed, but the rope is still in one piece.

Complete tears

  • A complete tear will disrupt the soft tissue into two pieces.
  • When the patellar tendon is completely torn, the tendon is separated from the kneecap. Without this attachment, you cannot straighten your knee.
  • The patellar tendon often tears at the place where it attaches to the kneecap, and a piece of bone can break off along with the tendon. When a tear is caused by a medical condition — like tendinitis — the tear usually occurs in the middle of the tendon.

Diagnosis Tests

The knee is a complex structure consisting of bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon, ligament, synovial fluid and nerves.

  • Knee pain could be the result of a problem with any one of these components, or a combination of several.
  • The knee can take time to heal due to generally there is poor blood supply in that area, X-rays will show some obvious conditions, tendons and ligament damage is difficult to diagnose on x rays, further investigation i.e a MRI scan maybe required.
  • Each condition have different healing times, a specialist in that healthcare field will monitor your healing time and should guide you to obtain optimum healing time as this can can from individual to individual.

Please see your Medical Doctor If symptoms not improving after a week or one is in a lot of pain

Cause

Treatments

  • Surgery

Medication

Symptoms

  • Pain at front of knee(s) especially when getting up from chairs and walking up the stairs and exercising and/or walking downstairs?
  • Hot and red and swelling of the knobble bone below the knee cap common in running sports?
  • Tearing or ‘popping’ sensation?
  • Pain and swelling?
  • Not be able to straighten your knee?
  • An indentation at the bottom of your kneecap where the patellar tendon tore?
  • Bruising?
  • Tenderness?
  • Cramping?
  • Your kneecap may move up into the thigh because it is no longer anchored to your shinbone?
  • Difficulty walking due to the knee buckling or giving way?
  • Might hear a ‘popping’ noise and you may feel your knee give out from under you?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency Condition

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:

  • Severe swelling
  • Can’t put weight on it or knee is giving way
  • If hear a ‘popping sound’
  • Limited movement

General tips

  1. Rest – stop the exercise or activities that caused the injury until you feel better
  2. Ice – put an ice pack (one could use a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) on the injury for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
  3. Compress – wrap a bandage around the injury to support it
  4. Elevate – if possible, keep the injured area raised on a pillow when sitting or lying down

To help prevent swelling during the first 2 to 3 days, try to avoid:

  • Heat, such as hot baths and heat packs
  • Alcohol
  • Massages

When you can move the injured area without pain stopping you, try to keep moving it so the tendon doesn’t become stiff.

Do

  • Warm up before exercising and stretch afterwards
  • Wear suitable shoes for exercise
  • Take regular breaks from repetitive exercises

Don’t

  • Over-exercise tired muscles
  • Start a new sport without some training or practice
  • Stick to the same repetitive exercises

NHS.UK


This condition may show similar symptoms to:

  • Quadriceps tendonitis – Irritation, strain or injury to the quadricep tendon (tendons just above the knee cap).
  • Plica syndrome- inflammation of the plica is the fold in the thin synovial membrane that lines the knee joint.
  • Synovotis
    • The knee is a synovial hinge joint, and as such the joint is lined with a synovial membrane.
    • If this membrane becomes inflamed it is called synovitis.
    • It is caused by overuse or trauma and results in repeated bleeds into the joint.
    • If not treated early or correctly the synovial membrane becomes thickened with more blood vessels and becomes swollen and painful.
    • It is also associated with:
  • Osteochondritis Dissecans
  • Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome
    • This tends to affect active adolescents. It is an inflammation of a growth plate under the attachment of the patella tendon to the kneecap.
    • The symptoms include pain near the bottom of the kneecap accompanied by swelling and tenderness around the kneecap.
  • Lateral Patellar Facet overload syndrome
    • A  dull aching pain underneath, around the sides or below kneecap.
    • It is caused by increased pressure on the lateral facet of the patella. The reason for this is improper tracking, poor alignment or dislocation of the kneecap.
    • The condition is often apparent during repetitive exercise such as climbing stairs.
  • Popliteus muscle injury
    • A thin triangular muscle located in the depression at the back of the knee joint, called the popliteal fossa.
    • Exercise or trauma may cause injury to the popliteus muscle.
    • If the muscle is injured you may feel tenderness when rotating your leg inwards.

The Chelsea Clinic

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

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