What causes patellar tendonitis?
Patellar tendonitis happens when someone pushes knee tendon tissues too far, or too fast, over and over again. Repeated jumping and sprinting motions stress and strain the bands of patellar tendon tissues. Over time, lots of minor strains and tiny tears make the tendon tissues weak and sore.
This injury happens slowly over a long time. Medical experts still have unanswered questions about how or why patellar tendonitis occurs. Healthcare providers believe two main types of activities damage tendon tissues:
- Sudden, sizeable increase in activity (how much you’re jumping).
- Returning to play at full strength after a break instead of slowly getting back into your regular routine.
Can patellar tendonitis lead to a tendon tear?
Yes. Patellar tendon tears (or ruptures) are acute injuries that happen suddenly. In some cases, repeated overuse over a long time can cause the patellar tendon tissue to abruptly tear.
Patellar tendon tears often happen when you land from a jump or suddenly change direction while running. A rip may go partway or all the way through tendon tissue.
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Who gets tendonitis?
Anyone can get tendonitis. Tendonitis can affect tendons in many areas of the body, such as the elbow, shoulder or hip.
Who is more likely to have patellar tendonitis?
Certain factors can affect your likelihood of developing patellar tendonitis:
- Age: Because patellar tendonitis happens gradually over a long time, people over 40 have a greater risk than adolescents or young adults.
- Level of athletic participation: Athletes participating at a competitive or elite (professional) level train harder and more often than recreational athletes. More intense training puts more stress on muscles and tendons.
- Type of physical activity: You may have an increased chance of developing patellar tendonitis if you participate in activities that require a lot of jumping, sprinting or abrupt movements at fast speeds.
What activities are more likely to lead to patellar tendonitis?
Any activity that puts a lot of stress on your knee (such as from repeated jumping) could increase your risk of developing patellar tendonitis. These activities include:
- Basketball.
- Dance.
- Figure skating.
- Football.
- Gymnastics.
- Running.
- Track, such as long jump and high jump.
- Volleyball.
What are the symptoms of patellar tendonitis?
Symptoms of patellar tendinitis include:
- Pain or dull ache at the top of the shinbone, right under the kneecap.
- Stiffness, which may make it hard to extend the knee.
- Worsening pain with certain movements, such as when you squat or walk down stairs.
What does patellar tendonitis feel like?
Patellar tendonitis symptoms usually get worse, slowly. At first, you may feel only minor knee pains. Discomfort may happen rarely, and only after physical activity. Over time, pain may get sharper and more severe. You may start to feel pain during physical activity.
If left untreated, patellar tendonitis can sometimes become debilitating. Symptoms may make routine tasks (such as climbing stairs or standing up) painful. Even sitting may cause discomfort.
