Therapy of the patellar tip syndrome

How is patellar tip syndrome treated?

The patellar tip syndrome (jumper knee) is mainly treated conservatively. Since the full-blown patellar tendon syndrome is often difficult and lengthy to treat, prophylactic measures to avoid patellar tendon syndrome are of particular importance. These include good muscle stretching, warming up before exercise and slowly increasing the intensity of exercise.

As prophylactic treatment measures, a soft sole and relieving tape bandages/orthoses for the patellar tendon can be used. The most important primary measure in the case of patellar tendon syndrome is a consistent sports break, which should not be too short. The duration depends on the symptoms.

We consider a period between 6 weeks and 3 months to be reasonable. Afterwards, you should carefully approach your stress limit. Without a sports break it will not be possible to achieve freedom from symptoms even under the therapy measures mentioned below!

Physical and physiotherapeutic therapy measures are indicated as immediate measures in case of an acute patellar tip syndrome. These include the therapeutic use of: The different therapeutic measures can be used in combination. Also promising is the temporary intake of non-steroidal anti-rheumatic drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen, Diclofenac (Voltaren®).

The infiltration (overmoulding) of the tendon gliding tissue with a cortisone preparation is also a study-controlled, successful therapeutic procedure for patellar tip syndrome. In this case, cortisone infiltration into the tendon tissue itself must be avoided at all costs, as otherwise there is a risk of tendon death (necrosis) and the patellar tendon may tear. Although, as already mentioned, patellar tip syndrome (Springer’s knee) is not histologically an inflammatory disease, the anti-inflammatory therapy with NSAIDs and cortisone helps.

  • Cold/heat
  • Current (electric stimulation)
  • Ultrasound
  • Massage (friction massage)
  • Physiotherapy
  • Shockwave therapy

Therapeutically useful exercises are an essential component in the treatment of patellar tendinitis. The various exercises range from the main focus of strength training to general coordination and running exercises, as well as stretching exercises. Above all, however, the stretching exercises should be performed before the onset of patellar tendon syndrome in order to avoid or reduce the risk of this clinical picture.

Therefore, the stretching exercises are particularly suitable before predisposing sports in the context of the warm-up program. Special attention should be paid to the stretching of the thigh muscle, since its tendons radiate beyond the patella into the ligamentum patellae, thus creating a functional and anatomical connection between the two structures. The prophylactic, i.e. preventive stretching exercises serve to reduce the pressure load on the patella and to lower the residual muscle tension of the thigh muscle.

The best way to prevent patellar tip syndrome is to do various stretching exercises. Otherwise, however, certain exercises for the case of a manifest patellar tendon syndrome also serve as a therapeutic measure after the surgical treatment of the injury. Alternatively, the exercises can also be used as an independent conservative therapy, so that surgery is not necessary at all, since the severity of patellar tendinitis is not so high.

In both cases, the aim of the exercises is primarily to strengthen and stabilize the muscles of the knee joint and the patellar region. A pronounced muscular apparatus on the thigh as well as good stability not only reduce the risk of patellar tendinitis, but also accelerate the healing process. A special exercise for strengthening the thigh muscles is, for example, “wall sitting”.

Here, you stand about one step away from the wall with a hip-wide space between your feet. Then you lean against the wall and assume a squatting position with knees bent at 90°. You thus sit at the wall as if you were sitting on a chair. To achieve a training effect, the position should be held for at least 30 seconds. This static exercise trains the thigh muscle particularly well and has the advantage of being very easy to perform.Further exercises to build up muscles are best shown by physiotherapists or fitness trainers, so that the correct execution can be controlled and the success of the therapy can be predicted.