U.S. News & World Report: Jumper's Knee
U.S. News & World Report recently spoke with Bert Mandelbaum, MD, a sports medicine specialist and orthopaedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, about the signs of jumper’s knee, risks for developing it, treatment options and how to prevent it.
Jumper’s knee—also known as patellar tendonitis or patellar tendinopathy—is an overuse injury that affects an area of tissue that links the kneecap to the shinbone. This tissue—the patellar tendon—supports the knee during jumping, running and any activity that involves straightening the leg.
Marathon runners and athletes who play sports that involve a lot of jumping, such as basketball, football and volleyball, can be at risk for jumper’s knee. But the condition also can affect people who take up walking for exercise after being sedentary.
Mandelbaum told U.S. News that a physician can diagnose jumper's knee by doing a physical exam and taking a patient history to determine the location of the pain. Telltale signs include pain at the front of the knee that gets stronger when squatting, climbing stairs or sitting for a long time.
Standard treatment includes rest, icing the area, wearing a knee brace and doing physical therapy. Mandelbaum said that the length of time it takes to recover depends on how long the condition has persisted and how severe it is. A mild case could respond well to rest and standard treatment. A longtime injury could take a few weeks or months to heal.
After recovery, Mandelbaum recommended gradually returning to more intense athletic activities. He said he often sees young athletes stress their tendons when they resume intense practice for sports after extended downtime over summer break.
Click here to read the complete article from U.S. News.