Have you ever heard of jumper’s knee? Or perhaps you play a sport like volleyball or basketball and you have been experiencing knee pain? Patellar tendinitis, or jumper’s knee, is inflammation of the tendon that connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia). The patellar tendon and the muscles at the front of your thigh (quadriceps) work together to extend your knee, allowing you to jump, kick, and run. The greatest level of stress on the patellar tendon occurs when jumping. During a jump, the quadriceps muscles provide an explosive contraction, which straightens the knee, pushing you into the air. Upon landing, the quadriceps help to absorb the landing forces by allowing a small amount of controlled knee bend. If the jumping and landing routine is repeated, the patella tendon becomes strained, and damage can begin to exceed the rate of repair, causing inflammation, pain, and dysfunction. You of course don’t need to be an athlete to damage or overstress your patellar tendon, repetitive micro-damage overtime can also lead to patellar tendinitis, though this is less common. Symptoms of patellar tendinitis include pain in the front of the knee that tends to worsen with jumping, landing, running, or even prolonged sitting. You may also experience stiffness in your knee in the morning, localized tenderness to the patella tendon, or it may even appear thickened in comparison to the unaffected side. Aside from physical activity, faulty biomechanics can also contribute to patellar tendinitis. If you are experiencing knee pain, it can be extremely helpful to have your feet, posture, and gait examined. If you have patellar tendinitis and want to find out if custom orthotic inserts will be able to help relieve your knee pain, call Vancouver Orthotics today for consultation with Dr. Michael Horowitz.
Note from Dr. Michael: Hello everyone! Patellar Tendonitis or Jumpers Knee is quite common among patients involved with occupations or sporting activities that require repetitive deep knee bends. When you visit our office for examination and consultation we will discuss methods of treatment and relief, each of which focuses on improved biomechanics and healing of this annoying and aggravating set of symptoms. Happy to be of help!
Have you ever heard of jumper’s knee? Or perhaps you play a sport like volleyball or basketball and you have been experiencing knee pain? Patellar tendinitis, or jumper’s knee, is inflammation of the tendon that connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia). The patellar tendon and the muscles at the front of your thigh (quadriceps) work together to extend your knee, allowing you to jump, kick, and run. The greatest level of stress on the patellar tendon occurs when jumping. During a jump, the quadriceps muscles provide an explosive contraction, which straightens the knee, pushing you into the air. Upon landing, the quadriceps help to absorb the landing forces by allowing a small amount of controlled knee bend. If the jumping and landing routine is repeated, the patella tendon becomes strained, and damage can begin to exceed the rate of repair, causing inflammation, pain, and dysfunction. You of course don’t need to be an athlete to damage or overstress your patellar tendon, repetitive micro-damage overtime can also lead to patellar tendinitis, though this is less common. Symptoms of patellar tendinitis include pain in the front of the knee that tends to worsen with jumping, landing, running, or even prolonged sitting. You may also experience stiffness in your knee in the morning, localized tenderness to the patella tendon, or it may even appear thickened in comparison to the unaffected side. Aside from physical activity, faulty biomechanics can also contribute to patellar tendinitis. If you are experiencing knee pain, it can be extremely helpful to have your feet, posture, and gait examined. If you have patellar tendinitis and want to find out if custom orthotic inserts will be able to help relieve your knee pain, call Vancouver Orthotics today for consultation with Dr. Michael Horowitz.
Note from Dr. Michael: Hello everyone! Patellar Tendonitis or Jumpers Knee is quite common among patients involved with occupations or sporting activities that require repetitive deep knee bends. When you visit our office for examination and consultation we will discuss methods of treatment and relief, each of which focuses on improved biomechanics and healing of this annoying and aggravating set of symptoms. Happy to be of help!
Cheers,
Dr. Michael Horowitz
Dr. Michael Horowitz offers a 5-Step process for relief & natural treatment of knee pain in Vancouver. 1) consultation & postural examination, 2) electronic gait scan analysis, 3D foot scan & biomechanical evaluation, 3) custom orthotic fitting, 4) orthotic dispensing, 5) follow up care. Call me at 604-737-3668 to discuss further or email Dr. Michael at info@vancouverorthotics.ca to take action & solve your knee painissues today.
