Exercises for knee pain: Jumper’s knee (patellar Tendinopathy)

Jumper’s knee (Patellar Tendinopathy)

Patellar tendinopathy or jumper’s knee is common in athletes or players particularly those who are involved in jumping and running sports. Volleyball and basketball players are particularly vulnerable.

Signs and symptoms:

Patient is usually a young active person who complains of knee pain on the front over the patella tendon. Pain gets worse with jumping and running. Also sometimes ascending stairs and getting up from prolonged sitting may be difficult. Tenderness can be localized just below the patella.

Risk factors:

Patellar tendon pain is common in the athletes who run or get trained on concrete surface as compared to wood surfaces. In the jumpers short landing time with limited knee motion at landing is associated with patellar tendinopathy.

Treatment:

1. Reduce the load on the patellar tendon: Decrease the amount of sports activity in terms of duration or intensity. Complete rest is not necessary.
2. Drop squat: This is different from normal squat in that one has to drop down very quickly. Stand with your feet together and quickly drop down into the bottom position of a squat and then stand up to the start position. Repeat for 10 times and do it for 3 times a day for 6 weeks.
3. Decline squat (eccentric quadriceps strengthening): squat on a 25 degree decline board on single leg.   Take weight on the symptomatic leg while going down (the downward component or eccentric phase) and on the healthy leg while standing up (the upward component or concentric phase). Repeat for 15 times and do it twice a day for 12 weeks. It will initially increase pain over the knee joint. Gradually it will settle. Once pain eases increase load on the tendon by wearing a back pack carrying weight. Again it will increase pain by increasing load on the tendon. Within a few days it will settle again.