Today’s video covers rehab exercises for patellar tendinopathy (tendonitis) or jumper’s knee. This issue is characterized by pain at the anterior aspect of the knee, especially near the bottom of the kneecap (patella) that is worsened as knee extensor (quadriceps) demand increases. This often happens when an individual must perform high volume jumping activities (basketball, volleyball, etc) or when having to use stairs frequently.
This condition is more common in males and in sports such as basketball, volleyball, football and tennis as these activities require the patellar tendon to repetitively store and release energy. When the tendon is challenged beyond its capacity or not allowed sufficient rest, the risk of developing symptoms increases.
Although the rehabilitation of patellar tendinopathy can be frustrating and lead to time off from sport, it does appear as though a progressive resistance training program can be effective in restoring tendon health. The key is to pay attention to your symptoms and make sure to give the tendon adequate rest in between training days. During training sessions, it is ok to have mild to moderate symptoms as long as they are not increased the next morning.
In general, the exercises below progress from less stressful to more stressful on the tendon. When you are trying to figure out where you should start, begin with exercise one and see how your symptoms respond. Let me know if you have any questions.
1. Isometric Wall Squat
2. Eccentric Focused Bench Squat
3. Single-Leg Decline Squat
Reference: Challoumas D, et al. Management of patellar tendinopathy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised studies. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021.
My new book contains rehab exercise programs for the 50 most common injuries and pain issues, including patellar tendinopathy. Click the link to learn more! a.co/d/0HDOdYI