Jumper’s Knee
Jumper’s knee is a commonly experienced injury in adolescent athletes and young adults who participate in activities such as basketball, volleyball, skiing, or other activities that require repetitive jumping. Jumper’s knee is also referred to as patellar tendinopathy. This is due to the repetitive microtearing of the patellar tendon that occurs with jumping.
What Does it Feel Like?
Jumper’s knee often includes symptoms such as pain with running/jumping, swelling, pain below the knee cap, pain underneath the kneecap, and/or knee stiffness. A common sign is what is known as the “Movie Theater Sign”. This is pain in the knee with prolonged sitting while the knee is bent (Santana, 2022).
What Can I Do?
The best thing you can do for the initial phase is to take a break from the high intensity exercises that require jumping and excessive loading of the quadriceps. Early in the initial rehab process, taking a break from strenuous activity will allow for the body’s natural healing process to take place to help repair the damaged tissues. Along with rest, the next best step to take is to see a physical therapist.
But How Can PT Help?
At physical therapy, we will use manual techniques and therapeutic exercises, along with modalities to reduce knee pain and get you back to your favorite activities. It has been shown that eccentric exercises have proven most effective in the healing process of tendons (Santana, 2022). So eccentric exercises will definitely be a focus of your program.
If you experience or have experienced knee pain from repetitive jumping, contact the Respire PT Team today by phone at 703-671-1871 or click here to request an appointment with a Physical Therapist. Let us help you get back to your favorite activities without being slowed down by knee pain.
References
- Santana JA, Mabrouk A, Sherman Al. Jumpers Knee. [Updated 2022 Nov 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532969/
Tags: jumper's knee, physical therapist, patellar tendinopathy, knee pain, choosept, arlingtonva, fallschurchva, ptworks, Knee Pain Relief, health blog, Physical Therapy, regain your movement freedom, Respire Physical Therapy
