Knee pain from patellar tendinopathy? Discover how physiotherapy, exercise, shockwave therapy, and injections support recovery and a safe return to sport.
What is it?
Patellar tendinopathy, often called “jumper’s knee,” affects the tendon connecting your kneecap (patella) to your shinbone. It usually develops when the tendon is repeatedly stressed, resulting in pain located just below the kneecap.
Who does it affect?
- As the name suggests, jumping sports such as Basketball, football, volleyball, and athletics (e.g. long jump, high jump) are most commonly involved. But it is not limited to these sports!
- It is standard to see patellar tendinopathy in runners, especially those with high training volumes.
- Active adults who suddenly increase their training load or intensity can also experience patellar tendinitis, also known as patellar tendinopathy.
How physiotherapy can help
Exercise therapy:
Progressive heavy slow strengthening exercises for the muscles around the knee are recommended to improve load tolerance and strength. Exercise therapy and rehabilitation will also consider correction of biomechanical factors, including movement mechanics.
Shockwave therapy can be an essential adjunct as it stimulates blood flow and healing in the tendon, allowing the exercise therapy to strengthen the tendon.
An ultrasound scan can assess the health of the tendon, confirm the diagnosis, and rule out other causes of pain in the front of the knee.
Options such as Hyluronic acid (HA) injection may be considered if symptoms don’t settle with exercise.
Other physio treatments:
Manual therapy to improve knee and hip movement.
Taping or strapping to unload the tendon during sport.
Education on load management, including how to train smarter, not just harder.
Take-home message
Patellar tendinopathy can be effectively managed with a combination of targeted exercises, careful activity management, and supportive treatments. With guidance, most athletes can safely return to sports.
References:
Rio E, Kidgell D, Purdam C, et al. Br J Sports Med 2015;49:1277–1283.
Challoumas D, Pedret C, Biddle M, Ng NYB, Kirwan P, Cooper B, Nicholas P, Wilson S, Clifford C, Millar NL. Management of patellar tendinopathy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised studies. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021 Nov 29;7(4):e001110. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001110. PMID: 34900334; PMCID: PMC8634001.