Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee)

Overview

The patellar tendon connects the bottom of the kneecap to the shin bone. It transfers the force of the thigh muscles every time you jump, land, sprint or squat. Patellar tendinopathy — often called jumper's knee — develops when the tendon is loaded more than it can adapt to, causing it to become painful and, over time, thickened and less resilient.

The hallmark is a very localised pain at the lower tip of the kneecap. It is usually worse at the start of activity, may ease as you warm up, then returns afterwards or the next morning. It is most common in basketball, volleyball, football and athletics, but we also see it in gym-goers who have recently increased their squatting or plyometric training.

Tendinopathy is not a quick inflammatory flare that rest alone will settle. The tendon needs a carefully graded programme of loading to rebuild its capacity, which is why a structured plan matters more than any single treatment.

Causes and risk factors

• Sudden increase in jumping, sprinting, squatting or hill running
• Playing jumping sports on hard surfaces
• Reduced ankle flexibility or stiff calves, which pass more load to the knee
• Weak quadriceps or gluteal muscles
• Growth spurts in teenagers (a related condition affects the growth plate)
• Being male and aged 15–35
• Returning to full training after a long break without building up

How we may be able to help

We assess the tendon directly and look at the whole chain — ankle mobility, hip and thigh strength, jumping and landing mechanics — to understand why the tendon has been overloaded. We also map your training week so changes can be made without taking you out of sport entirely.

Physiotherapy centres on progressive tendon loading. This typically starts with isometric holds (which many people find reduce pain immediately), moves through slow, heavy strengthening and only later reintroduces jumping. Manual therapy and soft-tissue work on the thigh and calf may help with flexibility while the programme progresses.

For tendons that have been painful for several months and have not responded to loading alone, focused shockwave therapy can be added after assessment. Evidence suggests it may help reduce pain and support the tendon's response to exercise in chronic cases; a course is usually three to six sessions. Kinesiology taping may also help offload the tendon during training.

What you can do at home

• Reduce jumping and sprinting volume rather than stopping all activity
• Try a wall-sit or static leg-press hold for 45 seconds, 5 times, before and after activity — many people find this eases pain
• Avoid complete rest for more than a few days; tendons weaken quickly when unloaded
• Stretch your calves and front-thigh muscles daily
• Train on softer surfaces where possible
• Keep a simple diary of pain the morning after training to guide how fast you progress