Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper’s Knee)

The greatest amount of stress is put through the Patella Tendon during jumping and, just as importantly, during landing. Apart from sporting overuse, this condition is also associated with ageing. As we get older, our ability to regenerate damaged tissue decreases and the quality of the tendon deteriorates. Jumper’s knee usually comes on gradually. There is pain in the tendon which is worsened by activity. It will feel tender to touch just below the knee cap. Pain and tightness is often experienced when bending, squatting, or straightening the leg and stiffness first thing in the morning is common.

Factors that increase your chance of developing this:

• Being physically active

• Increase in training

• Changing sport

• Hard training surface

• Muscle weakness

Symptoms Of Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper’s Knee)

The greatest amount of stress is put through the Patella Tendon during jumping and, just as importantly, during landing. Apart from sporting overuse, this condition is also associated with ageing. As we get older, our ability to regenerate damaged tissue decreases and the quality of the tendon deteriorates. Jumper’s knee usually comes on gradually. There is pain in the tendon which is worsened by activity. It will feel tender to touch just below the knee cap. Pain and tightness is often experienced when bending, squatting, or straightening the leg and stiffness first thing in the morning is common.

Factors that increase your chance of developing this:

• Being physically active

• Increase in training

• Changing sport

• Hard training surface

• Muscle weakness

Treatment of Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper’s Knee)

As the tendon is healing, our highly skilled Physiotherapists may gently mobilise the soft tissue by providing gentle stress, to help the tendon to adapt and gain tensile strength.

Recovery is optimised by using a programme that uses what is called ‘eccentric muscle work’. Eccentric muscle work refers to a muscle that is lengthening while contracting – a contraction that occurs during movements such as landing and decelerating.

Maximal tension is generated in the muscle during the eccentric contraction and this causes the tendon to adapt and get stronger. Our highly trained Sport Physiotherapists can guide you through this rehabilitation process, tailoring your treatment to both your needs and your sport.

Our Expertise

Our Physiotherapists have a great deal of specific clinical experience in the management of Patellar Tendinopathies.

Initially, our chartered physiotherapists will carry out a thorough assessment to determine the cause of your tendinopathy, helping them to select the most appropriate treatment to help you recover.

Our highly skilled Physiotherapists will provide expert treatment for your pain as well as prescribing specific exercises to treat and strengthen your knee, reducing your risk of re-injury and giving you a long term solution.

They will use a variety of evidence based therapies and treatments to help get you back on your feet as quickly as possible.