Wednesday, March 27, 2024
We recently spoke with Kevin Ozment, MD, a sports medicine provider and physiatrist at UT Health San Antonio about the signs of jumper’s knee, the risks of developing it and noninvasive treatment options.
Jumper's knee, also known as patellar tendonitis, is a condition characterized by inflammation of your patellar tendon (or patellar ligament). This connects your kneecap (patella) to your shinbone (tibia). Jumper’s knee weakens your tendon, and, if untreated, can lead to tears in your tendon.
Marathon runners and athletes who play basketball, football and volleyball can be at risk for jumper’s knee. But the condition can also affect those who start exercising after being inactive.
Jumper’s knee is caused by overuse of your knee joint, such as frequent jumping on hard surfaces.
It’s usually a sports-related injury. It is linked to leg muscle contraction and the force of hitting the ground. This strains your tendon. With repeated stress, your tendon may become inflamed.
"Over time, this inflammation and repetitive stress can lead to chronic changes in the tendon where it becomes thickened and abnormal, which leads to more pain symptoms,” Ozment said.
Following are the most common symptoms of jumper's knee:
Pain and soreness around your patellar tendon
Swelling
Pain with jumping, running, or walking
Pain when bending or straightening your leg
Tenderness behind the lower part of your kneecap
The symptoms of jumper's knee may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
“Jumper’s knee is typically diagnosed clinically through a thorough medical history and physical exam," Ozment said. "However, your healthcare provider may use an X-ray or ultrasound to help more accurately diagnose this condition and rule out other causes.”
"Jumper's knee is typically treated conservatively with activity modification, rest, cryotherapy, and medications, followed by a dedicated rehabilitation program focused on eccentric training," Ozment said. "The use of ultrasound can help accurately facilitate the diagnosis of this condition and help track the state of the tendon over the course of treatment."
He also explains the benefits of ultrasound-guided treatments at UT Health San Antonio.
"Ultrasound can also be used to help guide procedural interventions for those not seeing improvement, he said. "In addition, shockwave therapy, or extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT), is an emerging non-invasive treatment option using acoustic waves to help with tissue healing and pain reduction."
Jumper’s knee is inflammation of your patellar tendon, the tendon that connects your kneecap (patella) to your shinbone (tibia).
Jumper’s knee is often a sports-related injury caused by overuse of your knee joint.
You may need an X-ray to help diagnose jumper’s knee.
The best treatment for jumper's knee is to stop any activity that’s causing the problem until the injury is healed, followed by a comprehensive rehabilitation training program.
For appointments or to learn more about the Sports Medicine program at UT Health San Antonio, call 210-56-SPORT or visit UTHealthCare.org/SportsMedicine.
Kevin Ozment, MD, is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. He is a board-certified specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Sports Medicine. He completed his residency training at Northwestern University/Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago and fellowship training at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He currently serves as a medical advisor for USA Fencing. Dr. Ozment specializes in non-surgical Sports Medicine including diagnostic and interventional ultrasound, management of acute and chronic sports-related musculoskeletal conditions (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle, foot), and spine medicine.