The patellar tendon is formed from the quadriceps muscles and connects the patella (the kneecap) to the tibial tuberosity (the shin bone). Tendinosis refers to disorganization and dysfunction of a tendon. Patellar tendinoosis or tendinopathy is typically a condition associated with overuse.
Causes
Causes of patellar tendinosis include overuse. This condition is frequently referred to as “jumper’s knee” implying that repeated excessive loads on the knee such as occur with repetitive jumping can overload the tendon and cause dysfunction.
Symptoms
Patellar tendonitis is most common in people who participate in activities that require running or jumping. While it is more common in runners, it is sometimes referred to as “jumper’s knee.”
Treatment
Procedural options for chronic tendon dysfunction include regenerative-type injections (such as platelet-rich plasma [PRP] that can theoretically provide long lasting pain relief and improved function by stimulating the body’s own natural healing response. There is some evidence that needling the tendon alone can stimulate bloodflow and healing. A procedure called Tenex can be done under ultrasound as well which uses a small oscillating needle to debride (suck out) the damaged parts of the tendon.