Diagnosis

First of all, an exact anamnesis is required, i.e. a patient interview in which the exact symptoms, their character, duration, and connections with falls or other influences are asked about, and a clinical examination, whereby the focus should be on the knee, especially the patella and the patella tendon. Depending on the exact location of the pain at the patellar tendon, the thigh or knee joint must be included in the examinations. Special tests are available for the respective possible suspected diagnoses, such as a tear of the patella tendon or a retro-patella arthrosis.

Imaging procedures can also be used to clarify the diagnosis with certainty. Ultrasound is the most suitable method for this purpose. Ultrasound can be used to detect changes in the tendon.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a more precise procedure. The MRI image is suitable for more precise localization and assessment of the severity of the pathology. To exclude bone injuries, an X-ray image may also be useful. There are special images, such as the so-called “patella defilee image”, in which the knee must be in a certain bending position at the time of the image.

Therapy for pain in the patella tendon

In general and completely independent of the exact cause, a symptomatic therapy for pain relief is always useful and indicated. Painkillers from the substance group NSAR (“non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs”) are available as medication. Among other things, they relieve pain and inflammation, so that a reduction of the main complaints, namely the pain in the patella tendon, can be achieved.

Further therapeutic measures then depend on the respective causal disease or injury. Patellar tendon syndrome can be treated with special therapies such as cold and heat treatment, but also shock wave and electrotherapy. In addition, there is a recommendation for both regular physiotherapy and physiotherapy.

In addition, it is possible for patients to do stretching exercises themselves with the aim of reducing the residual tension of the thigh muscle and the pressure on the patella. In this way, the thigh muscle can be strengthened, which is associated with greater stability of the knee joint and patella. As a very simple exercise, wall sitting should be mentioned here: You lean with your back against the wall and bend your legs as if you were sitting on a chair, but instead you hold the position with pure static tension of the muscles.

These exercises and also physiotherapy or physiotherapy have a positive influence on the healing process of patellar tendinitis. Retropatella arthrosis, on the other hand, can be treated by injecting various substances into the knee joint. In addition to the most commonly used cortisone, hyaluronic acid or glycosamine glycan can also be injected, as they are a natural component of the joint cartilage.

Depending on the degree of severity and response to initial conservative measures, surgical treatment may be necessary in the case of retropatella arthrosis. In the worst case, a prosthesis may have to be inserted. In most cases, a bandage or a taping of the knee joint can be helpful in case of pain in the patellar tendon.

Pain in the patellar tendon in acute cases is usually due to an inflammation of the structures. The patellar tendon itself is usually affected, but the Hoffa fat body, surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments or even the bone can also be inflamed. In the acute phase of the inflammation, one should cool down for pain relief.

The inflammation is accompanied by swelling and overheating, both phenomena can be counteracted by cooling the affected knee. After a certain time, however, warming of the joint can also be more pleasant. Heat often helps the body to improve blood circulation, which is why metabolic activity increases in the warmed areas, thus supporting the body’s self-healing powers.

When to switch from cooling to warming varies from person to person.Taping or optionally wearing a bandage is therapeutically useful in connection with pain in the patella tendon. The bandage can reduce pain and irritation while simultaneously having a stabilizing function. Since the bandages are very elastic and durable, patients are not restricted in their mobility, but only supported.

However, it is always important to ensure that the bandage fits correctly – it must neither be too tight nor too loose. In the case of patellar tip syndrome, there is even a very special bandage, the so-called “Kasseler Bandage”. This is a proprioception bandage because the slight pressure exerted by the tight bandage on the back of the patella stimulates proprioception, i.e. the sense of position. As a rule, the application of tapes should be left to trained personnel in order to achieve an optimal effect, namely pain relief and promotion of the healing process. This can be achieved with the help of the tape by increasing the blood circulation and reducing the tensile load on the patella tendon.