Do you have pain presenting at the front of the knee that gradually worsens with activities like running, jumping and landing in sport?
This pain could be the result of a Patella Tendinopathy, which occurs when the tendon at the front of the knee that attaches the quadriceps muscle to the shin bone, is put under repeated stress. It is common in jumping sports like basketball, volleyball and football as well as runners.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of patella tendon pain include pain at the front of the knee which might increase when the tendon is palpated. Often there is stiffness and pain that is worse in the mornings and can ease once warmed up with movement and exercise. When symptoms are not appropriately managed, this might progress to a continuous pain throughout sport as well as afterwards.
Causes:
Although tendons can withstand highly repetitive loads, there may be factors that cause this load to be too much. A rapid change in exercise intensity or running mileage, sub-optimal lower limb strength and stability at the hip and ankle, combined with poor recovery time, are a few factors can contribute to aggravation of the patella tendon.
Treatment:
Tendinopathies are diagnosed according to the stage of tendon breakdown. These include reactive, disrepair and degeneration and each stage requires a different approach to rehabilitation. For this reason, a thorough and patient specific training plan is essential in treating a tendon injury. It is important to have the condition assessed by a physiotherapist who can ensure your training load can continue at an appropriate level.
If knee pain is impacting your training goals, don’t put up with the pain, call us on (08) 6389 2947 or click here to book online.
