Patellar tendinitis / jumper's knee

Patellar tendinitis / jumper's knee Patellar tendinitis, also called jumper’s knee, primarily afflicts athletes in jumping sports. Handball players, basketball players and those who compete in high jump and triple jump can be affected as well. They usually complain of pain below the inferior pole of the patella. Palpation of the patella triggers a strong pain due to tenderness at the transition from bone to tendon tissue and swelling is often present. Afflicted athletes are very restricted in their movement. Every push-off through the knee exerts high-magnitude forces, causing a noticeable reaction in the inflammatory tissue. Sometimes, microtraumas occur around the patellar tendon. An injury such as this requires strict orthopedic treatment and, in extreme cases, may even require surgery. It is important to identify the triggering causes of chronic overload to the patellar tendon, which in turn leads to chronic irritation. Malalignments, in particular in the foot and knee joints themselves, are often the culprit and must be eliminated. Malalignments of the ankle, i.e. the classic cases of over- or underpronation, cause a chain of problems ascending upwards through the body. The root of the problem must be isolated and the foot corrected. Sensorimotor PROPRIO^® foot orthoses can be helpful for this condition.