Jumper's knee. Diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

"Jumper's knee" or patellar tendinitis was first described in an article by Blazina in 1973. He noted an increasing incidence of peripatellar tendinitis, affecting either the quadriceps tendon or the patellar tendon insertion onto the patella, most commonly in jumping athletes. Since that time, numerous articles have further defined the etiology of this condition and the actual pathologic lesion, along with classifying the stages of its development and outlining appropriate methods of treatment and prevention. Although jumper's knee is quite common, its treatment remains somewhat controversial. This paper reviews the current trends in treatment and presents the authors' experience with an aggressive but simple surgical approach in highly competitive athletes that can yield gratifying results for both the athlete and physician.