What Is Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper's Knee)?

Patellar tendonitis, also called “jumper's knee,” is damage to the tendon that connects the kneecap
to the shinbone.

The patellar tendon along with the quadriceps muscle and tendon allow you to straighten your knee.

Patellar tendonitis causes

Patellar tendonitis is an overuse injury due to repeated stress on the tendon. This causes tiny tears in
the tendon.

With rest, your body can repair the tendon tears in the knee.

Without resting the stress to your knee, your body can't repair the tendon tears fast enough. This
causes inflammation and pain.

In rare cases, an acute injury to the tendon that hasn't had time to heal can cause patellar tendonitis
or jumper's knee.

Patellar tendonitis risk factors

Athletes who play jumping sports — such as basketball or volleyball — have a high risk of getting
patellar tendonitis.

Running and soccer can also lead to knee tendon tears.

How to prevent patellar tendonitis

Here are a few steps you can take to prevent patellar tendonitis:

 Conditioning properly.
 Adding new or higher impact activity slowly.
 Warming up and stretching before exercise.
 Wearing the right shoes for your sport.

Diagnosis
During the exam, your doctor may apply pressure to parts of your knee to determine where you
hurt. Usually, pain from patellar tendinitis is on the front part of your knee, just below your kneecap.

Imaging tests

Your doctor may suggest one or more of the following imaging tests:

 X-rays. X-rays help to exclude other bone problems that can cause knee pain.

 Ultrasound. This test uses sound waves to create an image of your knee, revealing tears in
your patellar tendon.

 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create
detailed images that can reveal subtle changes in the patellar tendon.

Treatment

Doctors typically begin with less invasive treatments before considering other options, such as
surgery.

Medications

Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others) may
provide short-term relief from pain associated with patellar tendinitis.

Therapy

A variety of physical therapy techniques can help reduce the symptoms associated with patellar
tendinitis, including:

 Stretching exercises. Regular, steady stretching exercises can reduce muscle spasm and help
lengthen the muscle-tendon unit. Don't bounce during your stretch.

 Strengthening exercises. Weak thigh muscles contribute to the strain on your patellar

tendon. Exercises that involve lowering your leg very slowly after extending it can be
particularly helpful, as can exercises that strengthen all of the leg muscles in combination, such
as a leg press.

 Patellar tendon strap. A strap that applies pressure to your patellar tendon can help to
distribute force away from the tendon and direct it through the strap instead. This may help
relieve pain.
 Iontophoresis. This therapy involves spreading a corticosteroid medicine on your skin and
then using a device that delivers a low electrical charge to push the medication through your
skin.