Patella Tendonitis/Tendonosis

[jarlrmai]

Anyone ever had/got over this?

I am seeing a sports therapist who is doing soft tissue release on the connecting muscles and I have an NHS MRI in a week to discover the exact issue.

Was hoping to hear stories from anyone who have been through this?

Currently my knee is getting inflamed (puffy and hot) occasionally, it hurts a bit going downstairs but i'm not putting my full weight through it walking and going upstairs are okay.

I am doing nothing but rest and weekly sports therapist visits at the moment, it has been getting better and then going a worse a bit again so it;s getting a little frustrating. I missed the lovely warm windless early Autumn.

 

[Albert]

I've had tendonitis along my shin just recently - very painful to begin with and very "grindy" to the touch when I flexed my foot. Ibruprofen Gel, some icing and complete rest for 3 weeks seems to have done the trick. I rode an easy 10 miles on Friday and 15 yesterday and it feels OK. I am stretching the area carefully now to help my rehab.
It is my first injury from over doing things. I diagnosed myself and got my Doctor who is a runner who has experience of this type of injury and he confirmed my conclusion.
Get well soon.

 

[rualexander]

I've had patella tendonitis and various other tendonitis over the years.
Ice is good, stretching of quads and hamstrings is good, ultrasound is good, and kinesio-taping is good, ask your physio about these.

 

[vickster]

I had it in my elbow, unfortunately did not clear up despite lots of physio, taping, acupuncture, injections

Rest is the best thing for it + ice. If it doesn't clear up, there are injections that might help

 

[jarlrmai]

Yeah rest is happening 3+ weeks now, I still need to get to work though walking seems to make it worse than riding where very easily seems to be the best.

The problem with the rest is that just basic day to day stuff like standing to do the washing up, walking a few feet at work seems to make it inflamed.

 

[vickster]

Yeah rest is happening 3+ weeks now, I still need to get to work though walking seems to make it worse than riding where very easily seems to be the best.

The problem with the rest is that just basic day to day stuff like standing to do the washing up, walking a few feet at work seems to make it inflamed.

Have you seen a specialist - a steroid jab might settle it down (or PRP if you have private healthcare or a bucket of cash)

Are you using Ice and anti-inflammatories?

 

[Crackle]

As someone rehabing from patella problems, not that one, it can take a while. This website below is pretty good

http://www.knee-pain-explained.com/patellar-tendonitis.html

3 weeks is not long I'm afraid. Muscle release sounds good. Most of my patella problems have been cured slowly over time with stretching and rolling but it took a few months before I could begin that.

I found a brace helpful too. This one is the one I used: Mueller Max Knee Strap

 

[oiljam]

I've had patella tendinitis now for 2 years, can't seem to get shut of it, had physio, ice'd it, pain killers/inflammatorys etc haven't shifted it. I've even tried resting it for months but as you say every day stuff sets it off again.
Mine is from marathon training/racing and its virtually finished my running career.
Sorry to be all doom and gloom and I suspect its how badly you've got it. My physio did say cycling was good for it but I even find this flares it up but not to the extent running does.
I've sort of accepted it now that I'll have it forever which is a depressing thought.

Sorry again for the gloomy outlook

 

[vickster]

You might find something useful here (and elsewhere on the forum) http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEnotes/primers/patella-primer/overuse-syndromes-affecting-patella

For my tennis elbow tendon, I had steroid (which helped a bit) and Platelet Rich Plasma (just 1 jab which had no effect, so no point trying more, although if at all effective more are needed) before having to have the tendon surgically released and tidied up

If struggling for 2 years, I'd say it's worth seeing an orthopaedic knee specialist or a specialist sports physician (your physio should be able to suggest whom to see) - privately or via NHS GP referral

 

[jarlrmai]

Have you seen a specialist - a steroid jab might settle it down (or PRP if you have private healthcare or a bucket of cash)

Are you using Ice and anti-inflammatories?

Been to a sports injury guy and to NHS orthopaedic knee specialist, that's where I got the MRI appt from. It does seem to get better but I have no faith it could stand up to anything more than a little bit of walking, let alone a hilly century at the moment, although there's no pain when cycling slowly it does seem to inflame it afterwards I have no idea if this is making it worse or not.

I will have the jabs if they are worth a go, given this come on after playing football once I'm hoping it's not a wear and tear issue.

 

[jarlrmai]

Ice and Anti-Inflammatories reduce the swelling yes but are they actually healing the injury?

 

[vickster]

Might depend on your hospital and specialist but if PRP not available on nhs it's many hundreds per jab privately. My elbow specialist quoted £600 or something crazy. Fortunately the hospital invested in the kit, Bupa paid and I gave the blood which got spun. Omfg did the injection hurt though!!!

Ice and Anti-Inflammatories reduce the swelling yes but are they actually healing the injury?

Yes they reduce the inflammation which is the issue. Now if you've torn the tendon that's a different kettle of cod and you'd know by now!!

 

[jarlrmai]

Okay I got hold of my MRI, bear in mind that no clinician has done any diagnosis here but here is my knee, you see the thickening and white bit below the patella in the red oval, that shouldn't be there and is the tendonitis.

 

[vickster]

There'll be people on the Kneegeeks forum who've had this. Proper rest, steroid, PRP probably the most like courses of action

Looks like a nice clear image Mine always seem rather fuzzier

 

[jarlrmai]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2971642/

I'm reading this

It says

Warmup bike no resistance 10 mins
Stretching, calf, hip flexor, quad hamstring gastrocnemius soleus
Deep transverse frition massage of tendon 5-10 minutes daily, use platic tool....!
Eccentric squats 25 decline board 3x15 and build up from there.