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Hop on Treatment for Patellar Tendinitis

Tom Willemann |

If you are an athlete, especially a basketball or volleyball player, you are obviously jumping around a lot and are more likely prone to injury. If very common athletic injury is something we call jumpers knee, also known as patellar tendonitis in the medical community.

What many don’t realize is that this condition can also affect people who cycle, weightlifters, soccer players or others.

Patellar tendonitis is where are you experienced strain or injury with the tendon that connects your kneecap to your shinbone.  If you are an athlete the jumps around a lot, you are causing ongoing stress to the tendon. The jumping motion can actually create tiny tears in the tendon which, overtime can lead to inflammation, pain or a gradual weakening of the tendon tissues.

One of the first symptoms you will experience  is a doll pain between your kneecap in the top of your shinbone when you’re doing any sort of physical activity like running or some workouts. If you do not tend to this, it will affect your ability to actually work out or even do the very basics like standing up after sitting.

The degree to which the injury is progressing will determine the type of treatment you should expect to implement. We recommend  using ice packs or even ice massage after any exercise that is causing pain in your knee area. Do you want to make sure that you stop or limit the amount of activity and strain you put on your knees. Be sure to get adequate rest and perform regular exercises that both strengthen and stretch out your legs and ligaments.

You could also consider using what is called a patellar tendon strap which is designed to take pressure off of the tendon and allow it to heal faster.

Eccentric exercises are also great because they strengthen your upper legs and help them handle strain and pressure that you normally put on your knees and tendons.   When someone’s leg muscles are weak, they often experience pain in their knees. So, if you are investing time in strengthening both your upper and lower legs, it will take any undue pressure off of your knees.

If you are experiencing any patellar pain and are considering working with a Wyckoff physical therapist, reach out to Apex today and schedule your free evaluation.  We have many years of experience developing effective rehabilitation programs that focus on building knee strength and bring about quick healing.

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann is a premier physical therapist based out of Bergen County, New Jersey. He holds an MS in physical therapy from the University of Miami, is credentialed in the world-renowned McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), and holds an OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) certification. As of 2018, there are approximately 14,000 ABPTS certified specialists in the nation and less than 400 of them are located in the state of New Jersey. Tom is the owner and director of Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Paramus. He opened the clinic, which specializes in spine and sports injury prevention, in 2004 after many years of experience in the field. Tom’s caring interest in others and his strong belief in continuity of care, combined with his clinic’s ability to find solutions for the most difficult orthopedic problems, have earned Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation its excellent reputation with patients and medical professionals in northeastern New Jersey and beyond. A true “family man,” Tom takes pride in his clinic’s warm and welcoming environment.
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