Unlike how it sounds, a Jumper’s Knee does not refer to a knee of an athlete who jumps. It does not even refer to an injury in the knee of a jumper. Jumper’s knee refers to a specific type of injury in the knee – an injury in a tendon, called the patellar tendon, of the knee. This tendon attaches the bottom of your kneecap to the top of the shinbone.
Then why is it called a jumper’s knee? Well, that’s because the most reported cases of jumper’s knee show that the victims are sports persons. But, professionals call it patellar tendinitis. However, if you do not play a sport, it does not make you immune to jumper’s knee.
Let’s take a look on how you might get a jumper’s knee.
Causes of Jumper’s Knee:
- The main cause of jumper’s knee is overuse of your knees. You involve in various types of physical activities in your daily life in the form of brisk walking, running, jumping up and down the stairs, or playing a sport. Such activities might gradually make you vulnerable to getting a jumper’s knee.
- An accident, where you fall on your knees, or collide your knees against something hard or your leg is pulled hard, might injure your patellar tendon.
- If you suddenly start using your knees more often than you used to earlier, that might cause an imbalance. Or, if you use your knees more than your other body parts, that might also lead to patellar tendinitis.
- One very common cause of jumper’s knee is misuse or overuse of drugs and steroids.
- Arthritis makes your bones weak and hence, more vulnerable to injury. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you might want to be extra careful to not injure your knee. With arthritis, the chances of getting a jumper’s knee are higher.
How can you know if you have broken your patellar tendon? Contrary to the popular belief, all knee injuries do not come with pain. However, you will be able to see the symptoms of jumper’s knee if you stay observant.
Symptoms of Jumper’s Knee:
The symptoms of jumper’s knee often do not become unbearable overnight; rather, the degree of difficulty increases over time. Watch out for the following symptoms.
- Pain after a physical activity
- Persistent pain in the lower end of the knee
- Stiffness or pain or difficulty in movements
- Feeling a sense of weakness in your knees
- Gradually increasing pain
The degree of pain, initially, varies based on the intensity of the injury. You will experience a pain ranging from mild progressive to excruciating. Additional symptoms like redness, swelling, etc can also tag with the major ones.
Nonetheless, the most important thing about jumper’s knee is the treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential for jumper’s knee. Since it is a progressive injury, the situation will worsen if it is left untreated – the damage might even become irreversible. If you experience any of these symptoms, see a doctor immediately!
ABOUT THE HOSPITAL
Sai Sanjeevini Multi Speciality Hospitals A Unit Of Singapanga Healthcare Pvt. Ltd Has Been Providing Health Services To The People In Need For The Last 14 Years. This Health Care Organisation Combines Practical, Proven Research, Cutting Edge Procedures And State-of-the-art Treatment To Produce Excellent Medical And Lifestyle Outcome For Our Patients. We also have a wide array of specialties including Pulmonology, Neurology, Gynecology and are pioneers among all Orthopedic Hospital in Hyderabad.
About The Doctor
Dr. Anjaiah is a reputed Orthopedic Doctor in Hyderabad with an experience of 22 years in this field. Dr. Anjaiah practices at Sai Sanjeevini Hospitals in Kothapet, Hyderabad. He completed MBBS from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad in 1991 and MS – Orthopaedics from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad in 1994. All his patients trust him with their bones and also their lives. So Book your Appointment now.