Patellar Tendon Rehab Exercises

Patellar Tendinopathy, commonly referred to as Jumper's Knee, often affects athletes participating in sports such as basketball, volleyball, and running. This condition involves pain in the patellar or quadriceps tendon due to overuse or adaptation to new activities, such as climbing stairs frequently.

Research supports that gradual strengthening exercises targeting the patellar tendon elastically strengthen the tendon and help in pain mitigation.

Start with a dumbbell, ideally heavier than 15 lbs. Maintain the weight at your chest, keep your trunk upright, and squat. Focus on an even weight distribution over both legs, performing three sets of 10-15 repetitions. Expect mild discomfort, typical in tendon rehabilitation, which implies appropriate stress application for healing.

Step forward with your painful leg, sink slowly, and rise. A forward lunge targets quads and encourages stress adaptation of the patellar tendon. Progress involves alternating legs, maintaining form with mild discomfort.

Move onto single-leg exercises, employing a step or an equivalent at home. Perform a controlled forward step down with your painful leg while maintaining balance. Increase tension with a slant board, enhancing focus on the patellar tendon. Initiate with three sets of 10-15 reps; adjust based on comfort level and tendon tolerance.

Train tendons to function like springs to manage energetic movements, rehearse two-legged jumps landing first on both feet then transitioning to landing on one foot. Aim for a sequential increase in hops by conditioning the tendon through energy storage, adequately preparing for athletic contexts.

For those seeking comprehensive rehabilitation programs, Dr. Tom Walters suggests referencing his book offering tailored rehab routines for diverse body tensions. Details about conditions, accompanied by photographs, truncate a phasic physical therapy process similar to professional visits.

Use Dr. Walters’ resources combined with the explainer exercises, facilitating gradual reinforcement of affected tendons and paving the path for a painless return to sports.

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