Patellar tendinopathy happens when the patella tendon that connects your kneecap (patella) to your shinbone is torn or injured. Stress on the tendon causes tiny tears, which are usually small enough for your body to manage, but too many tears become painful and require medical attention. This kind of repetition injury commonly occurs in athletes, especially in sports that involve a lot of jumping. In fact, it happens so commonly that patellar tendinitis is commonly called “jumper’s knee”.
Even if you aren’t a professional volleyball player, you should keep an eye on your knees. Other risk factors for developing patellar tendinopathy include general physical exercise particularly if it’s repetitive or if you’re just started a new routine and are training on concrete or high-impact areas. In addition, weight can be a factor, because your weight causes increased pressure on the knees.
To treat patellar tendinopathy, doctors will prescribe physical therapy to strengthen the muscles and help you retain full range of movement. Physical therapy remedies include stretching, strengthening, a knee brace, or potentially iontophoresis, a small electric shock therapy, delivered to your tendon.
Exercises to Help Patellar Tendinopathy
Strengthening and stretching your lower body muscle groups will help in the recovery of patellar tendinopathy. Ways to do that include eccentric exercise programs, weight management, cross-training, and other aerobics or cardio training that do not irritate the patellar tendon.
These exercises are meant to be slow and deliberate, so don’t rush. The goal is to strengthen your muscles and improve range of motion.
Quadriceps and Hamstring Stretch
These stretches are for the two main muscles in your knee, your quadriceps and hamstring. This will reduce tightness around your patella tendon. Focus on stretching both legs.
Quadricep Stretch:
Step 1: Lay on your stomach.
Step 2: Bend one knee, bringing your heel toward your butt as far back as you can. Try pulling the foot further toward your butt.
Step 3: Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, feeling a stretch in the front of your thigh.
Hamstring Stretch:
Step 1: Lie on your back and raise one leg as high as you can.
Step 2: Keeping your leg straight with your knee locked, grab the back of your knee with your hands or a towel. Pull your knee farther back, feeling the stretch in your hamstring.
Step 3: Hold for 10 to 20 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.
Straight Leg Lift
This exercise is meant to be repeated daily to strengthen your quadriceps and improve your range of motion.
Step 1: Lie flat on your back, making sure your impacted knee is flat and straight. Tighten your quadricep muscles and lift your leg 45 degrees off the ground. Hold for one to five seconds.
Step 2: Slowly lower your leg back to the ground and relax your muscles and tendon.
Repeat two to three sets, with 10 repetitions each.
Wall Slides
These exercises should be done daily to improve range of motion and strengthen the quadriceps.
Step 1: Stand upright with your back and glutes touching a wall. Place feet shoulder-width apart, 2-3 feet away from the wall.
Step 2: Bend your knees and slowly lower your hips down the wall until your knees are at a 45-degree angle. Hold for five seconds, feeling the quadriceps working but without pain in the patella tendon.
Step 3: Slowly slide back up to your starting position.
Repeat two to three sets, with 10 to 15 repetitions.
Drop Squats
This eccentric exercise is meant to relieve your knee pain. This exercise will strengthen your quadriceps.
Step 1: Begin standing with feet hip-width apart.
Step 2: Slowly lower your glutes toward the ground while keeping your feet and knees stable.
Step 2: Once you’ve lowered as far as you can go without pain in your knee, slowly lift back up to your starting position.
Repeat two to three sets, with 10 repetitions each.
Single Leg Knee Bends
This exercise should be slow and deliberate, as many stretching and strength-building exercises are. You will start with slight movements and build to deeper movements.
Step 1: Holding onto a counter, stand on your affected leg with your other leg bent slightly behind you and lifted off the ground.
Step 2: Squat down on your affected leg as if trying to sit back onto a chair, feeling the load in your quadriceps.
Step 3: Slowly put your weight onto your good leg and stand up.
Repeat two to three sets, with 10 repetitions each.
Safety Considerations
Recovering from patellar tendinopathy can be a slow process, but it’s important to do exercises like these daily to strengthen your muscles and improve your range of motion.
If any of the exercises become painful, stop immediately and reduce the level of activity you are doing. To try to prevent patellar tendinopathy, try warming up and stretching before exercise, wearing knee supports, and doing daily exercise.