What is knee tendonitis?
Knee tendonitis It is one of the most common injuries in this joint. It is produced by inflammation of one or more of the tendons that insert into the joint, due to irritation in this area or due to overload on the limb. It can also be caused by degeneration of collagen fibers, formerly called patellar tendonitis. The patellar tendon It is part of the knee extensor apparatus, connects the kneecap with the tibia and represents the continuation of the quadriceps below the kneecap and is essential to extend the knee joint.
It is important if you believe that we may suffer from tendonitis in the knee. go to a professional to evaluate our case, since, if so, the sooner you start your therapy and treatment the better it will be to prevent the tendonitis goes from being occasional to chronic.
Symptoms of knee tendonitis
One of the advantages of rapid detection of knee tendinitis is that it presents Few symptoms and all of them are very clear.
First of all and as the main and almost only symptom, pain appears in the tendon of this joint.
Therefore, knowing the intensity of the pain and how long it has been occurring will help us determine if it is occasional or chronic tendonitis. If the pain has been occurring for a month or less and has been increasing, we can talk about acute or occasional tendonitis.
If, on the other hand, the pain has been progressive but has not been treated previously to downplay its importance, and has lasted for more than six weeks, we will talk about chronic or persistent tendonitis.
In the most serious cases The tendon will appear thickened and adhered to the skin that covers it. Ultrasound or MRI help us classify the condition of the tendon, assess if there is any tear within the tendon (they are common in chronic tendinitis) and See if there is fluid around the joint.
Causes of knee tendonitis
Regarding the causes that cause knee tendonitis, sports practice It is perhaps the most significant risk factor, since in them the entire joint is subjected to forced use, causing overstrain or overload of the tendons with abnormal extensions and rotations.
There are also other anomalies that can cause knee tendinitis, such as suffering from some previous pathology such as rheumatoid arthritis or trauma directly to the knee joint. These injuries can lead to tendinitis.
Age and aging itself They are also causes of knee tendonitis, since the wear and tear of our joints will favor the appearance of injuries specific to the knee. cartilage wear.
How is knee tendonitis treated?
Existing treatments
For the treatment of tendonitis, analgesic drugs for tendon pain in a first moment.
However, to heal the trauma and prevent it from continuing to advance and deteriorate the state of our joint, It is necessary to go to physiotherapy therapy.
The professional in physiotherapy He will diagnose the state of our tendonitis and prepare with us a recovery plan to return normal activity to our extremity, as well as alleviate the pain and avoid wear and tear of the tendon or the joint. appearance of other injuries derived from this first one.
Benefits of our treatments
- Prevent our acute tendonitis from getting worse and becoming chronic.
- Relieve tendon pain.
- Return to our joint its mobility and daily physical activity.
- Strengthen the knee joint.
English (UK) 
Español