One of the most common issues that I see in the clinic is pain in the front of the knee or around the knee cap. This is usually termed Runner's Knee or Jumper's Knee. For consistency we will refer to it as Jumper's Knee throughout this post.
What is Jumper's Knee?
Jumper's Knee is pain in the front of the knee that is tender to touch on the patellar tendon. This is the tendon that connects from the knee cap to the shin. This is a continuation of the quadriceps (Interesting note: babies do not have knee caps!). The patella is a bone that arises in the middle of the tendon connecting the muscles on the front of the thigh to the shin bone. It does this due to pressure and calcification. Bone growth is dependent on use of muscles and weight bearing (keep this in mind if you have or no someone with Osteoporosis of Osteopenia).
If a bone can form in this tendon by the age of 2, then we know there is a lot of stress between the knee and the muscle's attachment to the tibia (shin bone). High impact movements, such as running and/or jumping, can lead to the tendon being overused and inflamed. Thus, Jumper's Knee!
What Causes Jumper's Knee
Jumper's Knee is usually caused by doing too much. It is an overuse injury. Rest can help, but does not always heal it.
If you are new to an activity, like running or CrossFit, then you are more susceptible to Jumper's Knee. This is because your body (specifically the muscles around your knees) have not trained to accept this new load. When ever you start something new, it is a good idea to build in to the training load.
For those that want to start running, you may want to begin with a run/walk program that starts with 1 minute of each for 15-20 minutes. Then add a minute to the run each week (keep the 1 minute walk). This will help you to build up to the activity and avoid developing Jumper's Knee. The same goes for people that are starting any new activity!
I want you to know that I am not telling you to avoid activities! I want you to do things you like and try new things. This advice is how you can try new things as safely as possible.
How Do I Fix Jumper's Knee?
For most people, you can fix Jumper's Knee by doing some extra mobility and stretching exercises. For others it may take a brief stint of physical therapy to address muscle imbalances that act on the knee cap and quad muscles.
As far as group exercises go, Yoga and Pilates are helpful in solving Jumper's Knee.
If you don't want to join another gym or group class, here are some stretches and mobility exercises to help you resolve your symptoms:
Scaled Quadricep Stretch:
Foam Rolling The Quads:
Calf Stretches
Foam Rolling the Calves
You should try all of these daily for about a week to see if you get relief. The other recommendation is to back off of running and jumping if they bother you while you are doing them!
For more help with your knee contact us:
425-202-5687
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