Patellar Tendonitis, Patellar Tendinitis (Jumpers Knee)

Patella tendonitis is a painful condition affecting the patellar tendon (also called the patellar ligament or anterior ligament) in the knee joint. Like all forms of tendinitis, Jumper's Knee is a condition that can flare up and subside over a period of time. Inflammation in the patellar tendon is often due to irritation and/or micro-tearing of the collagen tendon fibers. When the fibers tear, they become weaker, inflamed and swollen causing pain and tenderness in the area.

If your Achilles tendon is causing you pain, you are probably walking with less pressure on the injured side. This puts additional pressure on the opposite knee and ankle and can lead to an overuse injury such as patellar tendintis or bursitis in the knee.

The patellar tendon connects the shin bone (tibia) below the (patella) kneecap to the quadriceps femoris tendon above the kneecap. The fibres of the patellar tendon encase the patella itself, allowing it to glide up and down.

The patellar tendon is responsible for extending the knee with the help of the quadriceps femoris tendon which passes down both sides of the patella and the quadriceps femoris muscle in the upper leg - a process known as the quadriceps mechanism.

Tendons, by nature, receive little blood flow. This prevents certain areas of the tendons from getting adequate blood supply in order to repair and maintain themselves. This makes the tendons prone to tendinitis if they are strained or overused.

Other conditions which can be a cause of pain at the front of the knee are commonly confused with patellar tendonitis. These conditions include quadriceps tendonitis, synovial plicae, chondromalacia, patello-femoral subluxation and hyper-pressure, fat pad impingement (Hoffa's syndrome), and patello-femoral arthritis.

Risk Factors for Patellar Tendonitis

Patella Tendonitis is usually caused by repetitive use of the patellar tendon, but can also be caused by trauma such as a blow to the knee. This condition is most common in an athlete who is in involved in "jumping" sports such as basketball, volleyball and jogging. Other risk factors include:

• Activities that require sharp, sudden changes of direction such as soccer.
• Activities that involve repetitive use of the knees, such as cycling.
• Having diabetes, gout and/or para-hypothyroidism.
• Landing or falling heavily on your knees.
• Age - as we grow older, our tendons become more brittle and therefore prone to injury.
• Mis-alignment of the foot, ankle, and leg including flat feet, leg length discrepancy, tracking abnormalities etc.

What are the symptoms?

• Irritation or acute pain just below the knee cap.
• Tenderness and swelling in the knee cap area or just below the knee cap.
• Difficulty running down hills.

Knee Tendon Treatments

It is important to treat tendon injuries as soon as possible, as any activity or strain you put on your knee can re-injure it further. Though the pain, discomfort, and inconvenience of a knee injury can be overwhelming, it's possible to overcome it.

The trick with any tendon injury is getting it to heal with minimal scar tissue formation and with as much realignment of the tendon fibres as possible. In addition, if you heal your tendon quickly your chance of re-injury is much lower than average. Ultrasound therapy is great at achieving both!

Allowing an injured tendon to rest is always recommended. Avoid all activities that may have caused the injury or irritation and begin cold compression treatments as soon as possible. It is difficult to rest your knee completely as it is essential for walking and daily activities. Fortunately, there are healing tools that can help treat your tendon and speed up the healing process so you can get back to a life without pain and risk of further injury.

Therapeutic ultrasound and Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy (BFST^®) will treat scar tissue and promote blood flow to heal your tendon faster and more completely than any other methods available.

Freezie Wrap^® Cold Compression Therapy

Doctors recommend using cold compression as soon as possible following an injury or re-injury to reduce pain and swelling and minimize tissue damage that occurs with tendonitis or tears.

The Knee Freezie Wrap^® allows you to treat your tendon in an effective and convenient way. The wrap is adjustable which allows you to control the compression to a level that is comfortable for you. And the Freezie Wrap^® is the best cold compression wrap to treat your knee.

Here's why! The gel packs are chilled in the fridge not the freezer. This eliminates the risk of cryoburn, or 'cold burns', on your skin that can be cause by ice and strandard freezer gel packs. You can also wear the Freezie Wrap^® for longer treatments so you can enjoy even more relief from your knee pain!

Cold Compression Therapy works by interrupting and slowing nerve and cell function in the injured area and reducing swelling that can block blood vessels. This is important because once blood vessels are blocked or damaged, they can no longer carry oxygenated blood through your tendon and tissue cells begin to break-down. Without cold compression therapy cellular break-down and tissue damage continues as the cells do not get the oxygen they need to survive. By limiting the amount of damage done to your tendon, you also limit the amount of healing that needs to occur. This is a very important step to heal your tendon faster and with less pain!

The deep cooling effect provided by the Knee Freezie Wrap^® gives you the fast, effective relief your sore knee has been looking for!

Click Here to learn more about Freezie Wrap^® ColdCure Technology^®

Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound Therapy increases tissue elasticity while promoting the flow of blood (filled with vital oxygen and nutrients) to your injured tendon. This cleans the area by getting rid of damaged tissue and reducing the inflammation in the tendon while opening up the blood vessels to begin healing.

During the healing process, scar tissue that builds on the tendon can attach it to the patella (kneecap), femur, tibia, fibula or other surrounding tissue in the joint, limiting the flexibility in your knee. Fortunately, you can treat tendinitis with therapeutic ultrasound to soften scar tissue and improve your range of motion.

Not only does ultrasound aid in the duration of healing, but it helps to prevent long term complications. Pain, lack of mobility, tendinosis, and arthritis are some of the more common long term complications that can occur when tendinitis go untreated. By treating your tendon with ultrasound, scar tissue becomes softer and the tissue becomes stronger reducing the risk of chronic problems in the future.

For those who suffer from long term injuries, ultrasound is an incredible treatment option. Ultrasound therapy can help to break up scar and fibrous tissue that has built up over time on the tendon and restore flexibility in your knee.

MendMeShop^® Ultrasound System with phonophoresis is safe, convenient, and easy and generally requires between 5 - 10 minutes per treatment. It is based on a form of deep tissue therapy, which is generated through high frequency sound waves (that we can not hear). These waves send vibrations deep into your body and slightly increase the temperature of your soft tissue cells. The waves are delivered through a hand held transducer and conductive gel that are used together in a slow, circular motion over your knee.

Ultrasound can also be used to administer therapeutic medicines into the body. This is a process known as phonophoresis. Ultrasound with phonophoresis is rapidly becoming more popular than ultrasound therapy alone.

Using MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel during your therapy gives you 2 therapies in 1. You get the benefit of the regenerating sound waves from the ultrasound device itself AND the added bonus of the therapeutic ingredients inside the gel being delivered into the tissue where it is most effective. 1 FREE bottle of MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel comes with every MendMeShop^® Ultrasound System and it contains the therapeutic essential oils of natural Bulgarian lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and menthol.

Click Here to learn more about Ultrasound Therapy

Once the inflammation of your tendon injury has been reduced, nourishing and strengthening the tissue and surrounding area is recommended. Using Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™ will speed your recovery and heal your tendon more completely preparing it for leg strengthening exercises. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist to find out which exercises are appropriate for your situation.

Inferno Wrap^® Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™

After the inflammation and swelling is gone you can begin to treat your tendon with Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™, or BFST^®. BFST^® increases the amount of blood that flows naturally to your knee to nourish your tendons, ligaments and muscles to speed healing.

By treating your knee with BFST^® you can increase your body's blood supply and increase your body's natural healing power.

In addition, the fresh blood flow whisks away dead cells and toxins that have built up from the injury leaving the area clean and able to heal faster.

The Knee Inferno Wrap^® will give you the most effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief and healing with no side effects.

Click Here to learn more about how Inferno Wrap^® BFST^® works

With these 3 easy therapies you will notice incredible improvement in the health and flexibility tendon and reduced daily pain in your knee. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!

Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Or email us at service@MendMeShop.com