Diagnosis | Surgery for patellar tip syndrome

Diagnosis

At the beginning of the diagnosis of a patellar tip syndrome, the patient’s medical history and physical examination of the person(s) affected are particularly important. Imaging techniques are used to prove the suspected diagnosis of patellar tendinitis. Magnetic resonance imaging, in particular, can show the changes in the patella and tendons well and is usually used in preparation for patellar tendon syndrome surgery. An easily available and inexpensive method is ultrasound diagnostics, which can also show changes that may indicate the presence of the disease.

Therapy

If a conservative therapy is not successful, which mainly consists of taking pain– and anti-inflammatory drugs, a break from sports and special exercises, it is possible to carry out an operation on the disease. The operation is usually performed using minimally invasive methods. Depending on the individual clinical picture, there are different possibilities to treat the disease surgically.

Frequently, the inflamed parts of the tendon are removed during the patellar tip syndrome surgery. To prevent a renewed inflammation, individual tendon parts or entire tendons can be loosened. In some cases lasers are used to cut into the affected tendons and thus reduce the traction force during certain movements. Which surgical method is used depends largely on the size and location of the affected tendon. In any case, a consistent follow-up treatment must be carried out after the operation in order to guarantee the success of the therapy.

Healing time

The healing time of a treated patellar tendon syndrome can vary greatly. Many factors, such as the extent of the disease itself, the impact of the treatment, but also individual factors have a significant influence on the duration until healing. The following estimates should therefore only be considered as average values.

It is important that in the week after the operation, the knee is protected by using crutches.After about five days, physiotherapy can be started, which should be carried out for about 2-6 weeks, depending on the progress of healing. In order to get the structures used to movement, after the physiotherapy you can start with exercises on a bicycle ergometer. After about 1-2 months, light running exercises can take place.

Strength exercises should only be performed after about 2 months. Since jumping places a very high load on the affected tendon parts, jumping sports should only be performed after about 2 – 4 months. In summary, the healing period of a patellar tendon syndrome treated by surgery can be expected after about 6 weeks to 4 months.