Evidence-Based Approaches to Patellar Tendinopathy: A Critical Analysis of Therapeutic Interventions

Background. Patellar tendinopathy (PT) also known as jumper’s knee is an overuse injury that occurs in both professional and recreational athletes. The main complaint is pain in the anterior part of the knee, which impacts both sport and daily activities. Most patients are successfully treated with non-surgical methods but some of them eventually require surgical intervention. Aim. The objective of this study is to evaluate both surgical and non-surgical treatment methods for Patellar tendinopathy and seeks to introduce doctors and patients to the assets and downsides associated with them. Results. Jumper’s knee occurs in up to 45% of professional athletes and up to 8.5% of non-elite athletes. It is a non-inflammatory injury caused by repetitive microinjuries to the patellar tendon. Most common risk factors are: the male gender, involvement in sports (particularly volleyball), training hours, playing surface, small patellar tendon lever and moment arm movements, jump height, heavier load on the tendon and landing strategy of the athlete. Conclusions. There is a wide range of available conservative treatment methods for Patellar Tendinopathy including physical therapy, various injections, and medication. They should be considered as the first line treatment showing high success rate for mild and moderate cases. Surgical methods have high success rates as well though they are considered more invasive and performed only on chronic patients. Best approach ought to be carefully selected for each patient based on severity of symptoms and patient needs.