Fun and Fitness: Protect your patellas
If you've been unfortunate
enough to be an athlete who has
suffered from patellar tendonitis,
you know how debilitating it can
be. It is often called "jumper's
knee" because the jumping sports
are typically the cause. If you are a
basketball or volleyball player who
has never experienced the issue,
then you should be extremely
thankful.
Jumper's knee is an inflammation of the patellar tendon caused by overuse. When considering the biomechanical forces acting on the tendon caused by repetitive jumping, it is easier to visualize the cause for the injury. It can humble the most athletic person by severely limiting their vertical leap, or slowing their overall agility and speed. Like most injuries, there are different stages of severity: initial stages typically include minor pain after activity, while chronic stages involve pain during activity or, in worse cases, can linger even without any physical activity. The important thing to understand is that there are several causes that can lead to patellar tendonitis.
First and foremost, like any type of tendonitis, it is an overuse problem, as mentioned. Oftentimes, rest is enough to alleviate the pain. In other cases, ice immediately after the activity followed by rest will suffice. However, time away from the physical activity may not be enough and there are most likely other mechanisms of action furthering the injury. Tight and inflexible quads and or hamstrings can lead to unnecessary strain from different angles on the tendon. Weak quad muscles often force exponential amounts of stress on the tendon as well. A well-balanced flexibility and strength training routine focusing on these muscle groups is often prescribed. Playing surfaces are also an important factor to consider. If you grew up your entire life playing such sports on hard cement, chances are you've experienced bum knees at one point or another.
Whatever it may be that contributes to your patellar tendonitis, it is important to get it diagnosed as soon as possible. It's one thing to be out of commission for a few regular season games, but it's another if you need a cane by the time you're 45 years old.
Jumper's knee is an inflammation of the patellar tendon caused by overuse. When considering the biomechanical forces acting on the tendon caused by repetitive jumping, it is easier to visualize the cause for the injury. It can humble the most athletic person by severely limiting their vertical leap, or slowing their overall agility and speed. Like most injuries, there are different stages of severity: initial stages typically include minor pain after activity, while chronic stages involve pain during activity or, in worse cases, can linger even without any physical activity. The important thing to understand is that there are several causes that can lead to patellar tendonitis.
First and foremost, like any type of tendonitis, it is an overuse problem, as mentioned. Oftentimes, rest is enough to alleviate the pain. In other cases, ice immediately after the activity followed by rest will suffice. However, time away from the physical activity may not be enough and there are most likely other mechanisms of action furthering the injury. Tight and inflexible quads and or hamstrings can lead to unnecessary strain from different angles on the tendon. Weak quad muscles often force exponential amounts of stress on the tendon as well. A well-balanced flexibility and strength training routine focusing on these muscle groups is often prescribed. Playing surfaces are also an important factor to consider. If you grew up your entire life playing such sports on hard cement, chances are you've experienced bum knees at one point or another.
Whatever it may be that contributes to your patellar tendonitis, it is important to get it diagnosed as soon as possible. It's one thing to be out of commission for a few regular season games, but it's another if you need a cane by the time you're 45 years old.
