Medical conditions

The patellar tendon is located at the front of the knee and connects the patella to the tibia. Patellar tendinitis was the term originally used to describe the spectrum of injuries ranging from tendon inflammation to partial rupture. However, more recent studies have shown that there is not always an inflammatory process in these injuries, and therefore they are currently referred to as patellar tendinopathies. It is believed that this injury is caused by small lesions (known as micro-tears) associated with overuse of the tendon, particularly in sports involving rapid changes of direction and jumping. If sufficient recovery time is not allowed after each micro-tear, the tendon does not fully recover. This means that over time, tendon damage accumulates and may lead to patellar tendinopathy. The most common symptoms are pain below and in front of the patella, especially when pressure is applied, pain and stiffness after exertion, and pain when contracting the quadriceps muscles. It may also be associated with weakness of the vastus medialis obliquus muscle (the inner fibers of the quadriceps) and the calf muscles.