What is Patella Tendinopathy?
Patella tendinopathy, also known as jumper’s knee or patellar tendonitis, is a painful condition that causes discomfort and inflammation in the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia).
It commonly occurs in individuals who enjoy running or play multidirectional sport or people who have just increased their activity levels.
Symptoms of patella tendinopathy include:
- Suffering from pain at the front of the knee
- The kneecap being tender to touch
- The knee hurts or is painful when using the stairs
What can we offer for Patella Tendinopathy here in clinic?
Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in the management of patella tendinopathy and can help:
- Alleviate Pain
- Promote Healing
- Restore Function
Of course, everyone is different and therefore every treatment is different, but our treatments can include:
- Soft Tissue Massage to help with pain management and mobilisation.
- Hands-on techniques to improve the flexibility, mobility, and function of the elbow joint and surrounding tissues. Manual therapy techniques like joint mobilization, massage, and stretching can aid in reducing muscle tension and promote healing.
- Tailored exercises to strengthen the quadriceps and surrounding muscles. These exercises may involve eccentric training, which focuses on controlled lengthening of the muscle-tendon unit. Strengthening the muscles around the knee helps to offload the stress on the patellar tendon, promote healing, and improve overall function.
- Shockwave Therapy which is a form of electrotherapy and can be very effective for the treatment of patella tendinopathy. To read more about Shockwave Therapy please click here.
- A Biomechanical Running Analysis and Running Technique Coaching can look at movement patterns and biomechanics to identify any factors contributing to the development or persistence of patella tendinopathy. These may provide guidance on correcting movement imbalances, such as muscle imbalances or faulty landing techniques during jumping activities. To read more about The Running School please click here.
- Longevity Training (for the over 40s) can help you build strength and aid movement in an age-appropriate setting and thereby providing the foundations to stay injury free. To read more about Longevity Training please click here.
A full assessment will be carried out by one of our specialist team and the most appropriate course of treatment will be discussed at your appointment.