Consejos para el tratamiento y la prevención de la tendinitis rotuliana (rodilla de saltador)

Key takeaways:

1. Patellar tendonitis (jumper’s knee) often develops from extra strain on the tendon below your kneecap, which can happen from activities with lots of jumping or sudden increases in activity.

2. While rest can help, completely avoiding activity isn't necessary. Modifying your exercises and gradually returning to activities is recommended.

3. Strengthening and stretching exercises for your thigh and knee can help build strength and mobility and prevent future pain (see videos below).

Hinge Health offers virtual physical therapy and more to help you manage knee pain. Learn more.

Ever feel a tenderness in the front of your knee? Or poke just below your kneecap and feel a sharp pain? Maybe you’ve assumed it’s bursitis, a meniscus tear, or osteoarthritis. But it could be something else: jumper’s knee. 

When you put a lot of force through the patellar tendon (by, for example, repeated jumping), it can contribute to inflammation in the front of the knee. While that may sound bad, it’s something that your body is fully able to heal on its own. If your patellar tendon gets stretched or hurt, you can actually make it stronger and more resilient for the future, and it usually only takes a few weeks to get there. 

Read on to learn more about what causes patellar tendonitis (tendinitis), along with how to prevent and treat it — especially with exercises recommended by our Hinge Health physical therapists.

¿Qué es la tendinitis rotuliana? 

La tendinitis rotuliana ocurre cuando el tendón rotuliano, el tendón que conecta la parte inferior de la rótula (rótula) con la tibia, se lesiona o se inflama, causando dolor en la parte inferior de la rótula. Si bien la tendinitis rotuliana puede afectar a cualquier persona, a menudo se la conoce como "rodilla de saltador" porque es una lesión común entre los atletas que participan en deportes que requieren muchos saltos, como el voleibol, el atletismo y el baloncesto.

¿Cuáles son las causas de la tendinitis rotuliana?

El tendón rotuliano trabaja con los músculos del muslo para estirar la pierna. El simple hecho de sobrecargar el tendón rotuliano haciendo más actividad de lo normal puede causar algo de dolor, dice Cody Anderson, fisioterapeuta de Hinge Health. "A menudo, los guerreros de fin de semana se ven afectados por la tendinitis rotuliana. Por ejemplo, si normalmente juegas al fútbol una vez a la semana, pero participas en un torneo y juegas seis partidos durante el fin de semana, es posible que te duela después de eso".

Ciertas actividades tienden a poner una gran carga en el tendón rotuliano. Una de las principales causas es, lo adivinaste, saltar. "Saltar crea una gran carga porque tienes que impulsarte hacia arriba, además de reducir la velocidad cuando aterrizas", explica el Dr. Anderson. Otras actividades que contribuyen comúnmente incluyen deportes como voleibol, atletismo (salto de longitud o salto de altura), baloncesto, esquí y levantamiento de pesas.

Síntomas de la tendinitis rotuliana

Los síntomas de la tendinitis rotuliana suelen incluir:

• Dolor de rodilla 

• Dolor en la rodilla que empeora con la actividad, especialmente al saltar, ponerse en cuclillas, correr o subir y bajar escaleras

• Hinchazón

• Sensibilidad al presionar justo debajo de la rótula 

• Rigidez de la rodilla

One of the best tools to prevent and rehabilitate patellar tendonitis is exercise therapy. The above exercises recommended by Hinge Health physical therapists gradually increase the amount of pressure on the patellar tendon to strengthen it. Focus on doing each move in a controlled manner, suggests Dr. Anderson. Start by doing them every other day, maybe at lower repetitions, to allow for some recovery time. Then you can build up to doing them most days of the week at higher rep counts. 

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

Patellar tendonitis treatment

The following interventions can be used to treat pain related to patellar tendonitis: 

• Physical therapy. A physical therapist (PT) can recommend exercises, like the ones above, to strengthen and restore range of motion in your patellar tendon. Working with a professional can also give you confidence to find your “movement sweet spot,” where you’re able to challenge your knee enough to heal without aggravating it. You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health to access a PT via telehealth/video visit.

• Activity modification. It’s okay to scale back on activity until the worst of your knee pain has passed, but it’s important to keep moving to help your body heal. Focus on gentle movement like walking and stretching to let the pain and inflammation subside while you take steps to build strength in the tendon, says Dr. Anderson. Once the initial pain and swelling has subsided, you can start gradually adding load to the tendon to strengthen and heal it with targeted patellar tendonitis exercises. 

• Compression. As you ease into activity, orthotic taping or a patellar tendon strap can help reduce strain across the tendon caused by jumper’s knee. Patellar tendon straps are worn just below the kneecap. They are designed to apply targeted pressure to the patellar tendon. This pressure helps distribute the load across the tendon more evenly. This can help alleviate pain during activities and allow you to continue moving and strengthening your knee. 

• Cold therapy. Apply ice for 10-20 minutes at a time to help constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the affected area. This decreases swelling and inflammation. Apply ice immediately after physical activity, or whenever you have pain, to numb the area and get quick pain relief. 

• Over-the-counter medication. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be helpful for knee pain. It’s important to make sure that you are safely able to take these medications, based on your medical history. 

While patellar tendonitis can be uncomfortable and frustrating, you don’t have to give up activities you enjoy (even if they include running and jumping). Even if a new activity, or a change in activity intensity, brings on patellar tendonitis, it doesn’t mean you should avoid that activity or that your body can’t handle it. Quite the opposite, in fact. Your body is remarkably strong and adaptable. Incorporating strengthening and stretching exercises in addition to the activities you enjoy better prepares your body to handle a variety of loads and prevent pain from rearing its head in the future.  

When to see a doctor

Most cases of jumper’s knee can be treated without needing to see a doctor or get imaging. But if your pain is severe and prevents you from performing day-to-day tasks, see a doctor.

If you’re doing regular strengthening and stretching exercises, you should gradually see a decrease in pain and an increase in your ability to do your daily activities over time. If you don’t see improvements from the treatments above in four to six weeks, see a doctor to rule out other issues. Patellar tendonitis is sometimes mistaken for other injuries such as meniscal injuries, patellofemoral syndrome, quadriceps injury like a strain or tendonitis, or knee bursitis. 

How to prevent patellar tendonitis

Although you can experience patellar tendonitis from regular, everyday activities, there are steps you can take to try and prevent it from occurring altogether.  

• Warm up before activity. Walk for five to 10 minutes or do dynamic stretches to prepare your body for a more vigorous workout, especially one that involves running, jumping, or hiking. 

• Strengthen and stretch thigh muscles. Tight and weak thigh muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) are associated with a higher incidence of patellar tendonitis. The quadriceps also connect to the patellar tendon. “Anything that strengthens the quads also strengthens the patellar tendon,” says Dr. Anderson. 

• Listen to your body. Pain is tricky because it’s not always an accurate indication of damage. Sometimes, we feel pain when there’s no damage present. Other times, pain is a signal that your body might experience an injury soon. You don’t need to drop everything and stop moving at the first sign of a twinge in your knee. But putting heavy loads on an already inflamed tendon may make for a longer recovery. If you notice knee discomfort, it’s okay to temporarily scale back to prevent pain from getting worse. 

• Increase exercise gradually. If you run 20 miles in one week, for example, and want to increase how far you run, aim to run just a few miles more the following week, and maybe think about adjusting your pace to be easier on some runs. Or if you usually play one soccer game a weekend, and you have three coming up, find ways to adjust by substituting out more often or playing at a more moderate intensity for some of the game.

PT tip: Think of sitting as squatting

“Oftentimes, people are afraid to squat when they have knee pain,” says Dr. Anderson. “But you have to sit down — whether it’s on a chair, couch, or toilet — every day. And every time you do those things, you're squatting!” So take advantage of those everyday movements as an opportunity to rehabilitate your knee. Every time you go to sit, control your motion so you can use it as an opportunity to strengthen and heal. 

How Hinge Health can help you

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app, when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

Referencias

1. Wittstein, J. R. y Wilkerson, R. (septiembre, 2021). Patellar Tendon Tear (Desgarre del tendón rotuliano). OrthoInfo — American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/patellar-tendon-tear/

2. Rudavsky, A., & Cook, J. (2014). Physiotherapy management of patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) (Tratamiento fisioterapéutico de la tendinopatía rotuliana (rodilla de saltador)). Journal of Physiotherapy (Revista de fisioterapia), 60(3), 122–129. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2014.06.022

3. Rutland, M., O’Connell, D., Brismée, J.-M., Sizer, P., Apte, G., & O’Connell, J. (2010). EVIDENCE–SUPPORTED REHABILITATION OF PATELLAR TENDINOPATHY (REHABILITACIÓN DE TENDINOPATÍA PATELAR RESPALDADA CON EVIDENCIA). North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy (Revista estadounidense de fisioterapia del deporte): NAJSPT, 5(3), 166–178.

4. Santana, J. A., Mabrouk, A., & Sherman, A. l. (2022). Jumpers Knee (Rodilla de saltador). In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532969/