Symptoms of quadriceps tendon rupture

A quadriceps tendon rupture is first and foremost a painful event. Since the tendon usually tears at its point of attachment on the kneecap, the pain is particularly intense here as well. Furthermore, the muscle tends to contract more in the case of a complete rupture than would be the case if the leg were stretched and the hip were flexed.

The affected thigh appears thicker compared to the opposite side and you can see that the muscle belly has slipped upwards. If the tendon is only torn incompletely, a gap can be felt there on the front of the thigh. Other symptoms are a reduction in strength when stretching the leg or severe pain when trying to bring the leg into extension.

A dent in the actual muscle is unlikely to be found in a ruptured tendon. Rather, it is a gap in the course of the tendon, which can be detected when the tendon is palpated. This is due to the fact that the muscle, and thus the tendon attached to it, tries to contract.

However, this gap only occurs in the event of an incomplete tear of the tendon. If, on the other hand, the tendon tears completely, the entire muscle on the thigh slides upwards towards the hip. As a result, the muscle loses its elongated shape and takes on a slightly more spherical appearance.

A hematoma or bruise is always an indication that a blood vessel has been injured, from which the blood enters the tissue and causes the hematoma to form. The bruise has the advantage that the accumulated blood is at some point so much that it exerts pressure on the vessel injury itself and thus stops the bleeding. Since the muscle tendons, as well as the muscle itself, are surrounded by blood vessels, a tendon rupture usually also leads to the development of a hematoma.

Since this is usually a major hemorrhage, the “breakdown” of the hematoma usually takes several weeks. It is therefore advisable to exert pressure on the site as soon as possible after the rupture to limit bleeding. How to treat a hematoma?

The pain of a quadriceps tendon rupture is very impressive and probably of an almost unmistakable character. A previously existing heavy strain on the quadriceps muscle leads to a sudden loss of strength, which is associated with a sharp, shooting pain. This pain usually continues as a dull, oppressive pain when a hematoma develops.

When attempting to stretch the knee again afterwards, sharp pain can occur again, caused by the torn tendon.Also in the case of a loss of function one can distinguish a complete loss of function from an incomplete one. Since the quadriceps muscle is mainly responsible for knee extension and partly responsible for hip flexion, these movements are considered functional tests for the muscle. In the case of a complete tendon rupture, the affected person is therefore no longer able to stretch his knee.

When trying to bend the hip against a resistance, a noticeable reduction in strength is then seen on the affected side. In the case of a partial rupture of the quadriceps tendon, on the other hand, there is a loss of strength when the knee is to be stretched against a resistance on the shin. In hip flexion, on the other hand, there is hardly any reduction in strength in a partial tear.