- Torn patellar tendon
- Torn patellar tendon
- Torn biceps tendon
- Tear of the quadriceps tendon
Tendons are the ends of the muscles. The musculature ends in tendon strands and is attached to bones. To be able to move a joint, they must pull over it.
The patella is embedded in such a tendon (quadriceps tendon). It is held from above by the quadriceps tendon (tendon of the thigh muscle) and from below by the so-called patellar tendon (patella (lat.) = kneecap).
If one speaks of a torn patellar tendon, one means the tear of the tendon below the patella. Ruptures of the patellar tendon (patella tendon tear) are very rare, and usually occur as a result of trauma or enormous expenditure of muscle power. If the tendon tears, the leg can no longer be stretched against resistance and surgery becomes necessary.
Other complaints of the affected person are pain and swelling. The final diagnosis is made by means of CT, but mostly by MRI. In most cases, a tear of the patellar tendon is caused by trauma due to lifting, i.e. when the strong thigh muscle (quadriceps muscle) has to apply an enormous braking power.
On the other hand, even with less complicated knee injuries, the patellar tendon may tear or be injured. Like any torn tendon, this too causes pain and swelling of the knee joint. In most cases, the rupture is also associated with soft tissue damage (damage to non-bony structures such as muscles or other tissue).
The kneecap is elevated due to the lack of downward traction. However, the rupture of the patella also has other noticeable consequences for the affected person: the leg can no longer be stretched. This is due to the fact that the tendon below the patella is attached to the front edge of the tibia, the thigh muscle pulls on the tibia and thus stretches the knee joint.
An ultrasound can be made for rough orientation and to determine the formation of effusions in the knee. Here, the torn tendon can be indirectly detected: it is missing at the affected area. The tendons of various muscles are attached to the knee joint.
The most prominent tendon is the tendon of the quadriceps muscle, which spans the kneecap and is inserted as the patellar tendon at the front of the tibia. The tendons of the various muscles are often affected in injuries to the knee joint. Complete severing of the tendons occurs as well as partial tears.
For diagnostic confirmation of the injury, an MRI examination of the knee joint is recommended, as this provides a very good image of the soft tissue. Tears and partial tears of the tendons can be detected very well. Inflammations of the tendons, e.g. inflammation of the quadriceps tendon, can also be visualized by MRI.
An inflamed tendon usually thickens in the MRI and shows an increased signal intensity – this means that it appears lighter or darker than normal on the MRI images. Furthermore, MRI can also detect fluid accumulations in the bone as further accompanying injuries. These bone marrow edemas (also known as “bone bruise“) are indicated on the MRI by a reduced or increased signal intensity in the bone in the affected area.
It is difficult to prevent the patellar tendon tear. It goes without saying that causative situations should be avoided. A strong muscular skeleton, which gives the knee joint stability on all sides, is probably the best way to prevent the injury.
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