Patella Tip Syndrome
What is Patella Tip Syndrome?
The patellar tendon connects the lower pole of the patella to the tibia. Patellar tendinopathy (PT), often referred to as jumper’s knee, is a chronic overuse injury of the patellar tendon.
Pathology
The main clinical symptom is pain at the inferior pole of the patella.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Diagnosis is based on the clinical features of the disease. Diagnostic imaging such as ultrasound should be considered to rule out other causes of knee pain or to establish the diagnosis of patella tip syndrome when in doubt.
Similar to other tendinopathies, the aetiology of patella tip syndrome is not completely understood, but repetitive overload is thought to be an important factor. Histologic examination of biopsy specimens from patients undergoing patellar tendon surgery for chronic symptoms has shown that chronic PT is associated with degenerative changes in the tendon. The disease is therefore better characterised as “tendinopathy” rather than “tendinitis”, resembling the situation in other overuse tendon problems such as Achilles tendinopathy.
‘Athletes have a very high prevalence of jumper`s knee, i.e., up to 40% among elite basketball and volleyball players.’
The condition can be debilitating and may prevent athletes from returning to sport for long periods between 6 months and more than 2 years.
Patients not responding to conservative treatment for six months should then undergo shock wave therapy.
