Patellar Tendonitis Treatment
Patellar Tendonitis
Sebastian Gonzales DC, CSCS, ART® – Huntington Beach CA
What is Patellar Tendonitis?
It is most commonly referred to as “Jumpers Knee.” It is an injury that involves the tendons that connect to your knee cap, which is known as the patella to your tibia which is known as your shin bone. It occurs when the surrounding muscles especially the quadriceps are overused and build up this fibrous scar tissue which forces the area to be stiff and rigid-this then does not allow the tendon to work properly and it becomes damaged.
It is often seen in athletes who participate in: jumping, soccer, volleyball, basketball, etc. Athletes are not the only people who get Patellar Tendonitis but other people who do not engage in strenuous physical activity are at risk for getting it as well.
What are some Signs and Symptoms of Patellar Tendonitis?
- Pain directly over the area of the patellar usually between the patellar tendon and the tibia which is known as your shin bone.
- Swelling
- Soreness
How do I know if I have Patellar Tendonitis?
- X-ray’s will rule out if there is a problem in the bone
- Definitive answer is an MRI
- Diagnostic Ultrasound
- Physical Exam by a Medical Professional
What causes Patellar Tendonitis?
- Overuse
- High Intensity and frequent physical activity
- Muscular/Skeletal Instability
- Malignancy of bone
- Tightness of the muscles surrounding the area
- Obesity
- Patella Alta
Who gets Patellar Tendonitis?
- Athletes
- Populations who overuse their legs
What are some common treatments for Patellar Tendonitis?
- Rest the Area
- Stretching
- Ice Treatment
- Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory medications
- Chopat Straps/Braces
- Active Release Technique®
- Surgery
- Corticosteroid Injection
- Massage
- Platelet Rich Plasma
How does P3 sports care treat Patellar Tendonitis?
First you must understand how inflammation of the tendon could occur. Many times when tissues in the body become overused they have a tendency of developing small tears from micro-trauma. These tears within tendons and other soft tissues fill up with scar tissue overtime. This scar tissue is not as flexible and resilient as normal tendinous tissue and as a result can tear again easily and the cycle will continue, thus leading to the development of a repetitive stress injury. This is how the problem can become chronic.
At P3 Sports Care we believe much of the RICE method can be done at home when the injury is acute (fresh). However, rarely do we consider Patellar Tendonitis as an acute or traumatic injury. When most people feel pain in the patellar region it has actually had a “silent” problem for months, so it is perfect for our type of treatment.
We focus on a systematic approach to improving the health of the problematic tendons/ muscles and give instructions for prevention of re-injury.
- Remove scar tissue from the problematic tissue using Active Release Techniques® (ART®) – “Gold Standard of Soft Tissue Care”
- Provide safe, yet effective strength training exercises
- Find the “silent” root cause and give neurological re-education exercises for correction – In cases of an overuse injury
P3 Sports Care provides “Hands-on” treatment, which has been proven to be effective more times than not.
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P3 Sports Care, previously Orange County Pain Management, has been serving Southern California for over 5 years. Although many of our patients live right in the city of Huntington Beach, many of them will come from a great distance to receive our Active Release Techniques®, Chiropractic Care, and Rehabilitation. Our customer service is second to none; our patients always come first. Even patients who are afraid of going to a chiropractor love our style of care.
Serving the cities of Orange, Irvine, Villa Park, Mission Viejo, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Placentia, Yorba Linda, Costa Mesa, Stanton, Westminster, Buena Park, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Seal Beach, Long Beach, Sunset Beach, Fullerton, Brea, Laguna Hills, Tustin, and Huntington Beach.
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