Anyone ever completely recover from patella tendinosis?

I've had it bad at points. It cost me all of a XC season in college, as well as the better part of an indoor track season. The following year I was running over 100 mpw with no problem. The key for me was straight leg raises with an ankle weight.

The motion seen in this picture:

http://www.uwhealth.org/images/ewebeditpro2/upload/4349_Figure_7.jpg

I really can't stress enough what a miracle cure this exercise is. Since I've started doing them regularly I haven't had any hip/thigh/knee problems whatsoever. Ice with compression after a run is also a good trick.

I had it so bad that I could not sleep through the night. If my leg was bent while I slept, it would start throbbing. I tried everything - 2 months completely off, stretching, strengthening, PT, diet and nothing worked. I had it for over a year and just thought my running days were over.

Finally I had shockwave therapy done on it. My understanding of shockwave therapy is that is breaks up any adhesions in the tendon and promotes healing. It is not an instant cure. It took about two months after having it done, but it just disappeared completely. I was able to run 3 weeks after having it with some pain still, but two months after it, zero pain.

I had the same treatment on plantar fasciitis and had the same results. If you can find a doctor near you that does ESWT, look into it.

shockwave therapy(eswt). find an orthopedist that provides it.

I had it and it took 5-6 months to recover from. This was aggravated by the fact that I tried to keep running on it for a few weeks after it appeared.

It was odd. Came on all of a sudden, with no warning. I was running great, super mileage and then boom! There, it was. I figured it was going to be a week or two but it just would not go away. Once it finally healed enough for me to run on, it still took a good year and a half before I was free of ever feeling pain there. When the weather would get cold, I could feel it again, though it did not affect my running.

Now I never feel it.

yes, it promtes healing by creating micro-trauma and inflamation, which alerts the brain to send more blood(and nutrients). Fibroblasts are formed and new tissue is made. the whole regrowth takes up to a year, but the tendon may hold up to running much sooner.

Mark McGwire wrote:

[You have to fundamentally change something about how your body works when it runs.

This statement is key. I suffered from patellar tendonitis for 2 years, rest and basic physio were not enough. In my case glute and hamstring stengthening and some minor orthotics had me healed and back to full training in one month.

Thanks for the help. I am male. I went to the pt for two months years ago, but even though improvement was occurring, I became impatient and started running again. I have had two cortisone shots too, so let's hope they have not permanently damaged my tendons. It looks like I am in for a long recovery.

I had bad from about 5 to 3 years ago. If I really stay on top of preventive measures (icing, keeping qauds/hams strengthened and BALANCED, stretching, etc) I can do anything pain free. If I don't do those things and just avoid running on the roads I don't have any problems (unless you consider not being able to run on pavement a problem...)

had it for the better part of three years - took a lot of patience and two rounds w/pt. Rest alone didn't do much. My PT said you need to do three things, in order or it doesn't work:

1) reduce inflamation

2) strengthen quads

3) build up slowly

1) you need to stop for at least a while; ice massage, and no need to be gentle. Ice accross the band, right where it hurts to break up scar tissue. Also anti-inflammatories, 8-10 days and then back off.

2) progressively strengthen quads with dips off of low step or 4" X 4" - not deep knee but maybe so your knee is bent 15-20 degrees (no more).

after a while (weeks maybe) gently hop off the step/platform and flex your knees and absorb the impact.

These will strengthen your quads.

3) start up slowly with running. If hurts, back off.

Been running pain free for 5 years since then.

I cycled a lot during the down time--okay as long as it's not irritating the tendon.

I had it spring of 2007, about 3 months of absolutely zero running, now I am doing 80+ mpw without any problems... however because of the injury I am much more cautious of what surfaces I run on, and at most I do 3 miles on pavement. I'd say the best surface to run on is grass, but dirt/ gravel also works well.

I had it for well over a year. The best thing to do is stay off it, get physical therapy and work hard on strength training, ie weights and resistance training. good luck!

hang in there. it took me 6months

Yes, it can take a long time but it is quite possible to make a full recovery. I did lots of PT for 3-4 months with no real improvement because the ache was always still there. The best thing I found was to get back to running very very slowly. Literally start with 1 mile(or less) a day every day and don't get anywhere near hills/trails and don't over stretch the quad. Hills are the killer and probably how you injured it in the first place. I would say it will be a month to 6 weeks before you can do 3 miles totally pain free. A descent strategy is to go out and run until you start feeling the tiredness or ache (I'm sure you know what I mean) then stop (don't run home or try and push through). Take 4 Advil and ice it. This is definitely one of those injuries where you can do too much to recover. Less is more. One day you will just wake up and it will be gone. It has happened to everyone I know who has ever had patella problems. Good luck.

hurtin wrote:

Has anyone here had patella tendinosis? Have you recovered from it? I developed it this past track season and have been doing PT all summer. It's taking a heck of a long time to heal. I've been able to jog 15 minutes 2 times a week. Any hope that I will be able to train 100% again

Not sure how I totally forgot one of the geekiest and best ways to get through this. THE KNEE STRAP! Best $15 I ever spent on running. $1500 on PT wasn't half as useful as the $15 knee strap from CVS. Your teammates will mock you for looking like and old jogger but the strap is helpful.

R

Do you all have pain below the kneecap with this?

runrayb wrote:

Not sure how I totally forgot one of the geekiest and best ways to get through this. THE KNEE STRAP! Best $15 I ever spent on running. $1500 on PT wasn't half as useful as the $15 knee strap from CVS. Your teammates will mock you for looking like and old jogger but the strap is helpful.

R

completely agree

and yes, below the knee

...what a topic:

I am almost 44, I've been battling this thing for the last 22 years,...and no I'm not kidding you!!

I got to say this; I surely believe there is all sorts of different reasons in how to develope patella tendonitits. And therefore the approach to get rid of this might vary a bit. In my case...my legs are "very strong",...so there is no need for me to strengthen my quads.

I think you can fully recover,...but you gotta be aware that this thing can and will come back...you gotta fins out what your weakness is that causes this problem!!!!

For me it's all about hip flexibility. If the hip fexors don't do their job well it forces so much more work on to the patella tendon and makes me run tight with to much of a forward lean. I'm always especially proned of getting this injury when I get into the last few weeks of sharpening for shorter races (mile to 5000).

I don't think laying off helps much, it could take month if not years to "just go away". And I've been there too. You need to stretch your hamstrings, quads and hip flexors and work on "core strength". The more upper body strength you have, the better will be your running style and it will take pressure away from the knees.

If you run while hurt, try to start easy and stop after a mile and stretch, run your "filler mileage" very slow. Try to run more from the heel...like a marathoner. Don't make the mistake on running in shoes that are "too soft" though it sound like a good idea, it will make the problem worse. Stay away from uneven surfaces and make sure you change shoes frequently and that make sure that your runnung form is proper with "no knee wabbling action". Shoes need to be flexible but with a bit of a posting, "don't wear heavy control" shoes or full length "stiff inserts".

Even if you won't fully recover this does not need to be something that ends you're running career...it might save it...because when ever you're overdoing something your special friends below your knees will tell you to slow down and reinforce "core strength", "easy miles", "yoga", "ice" (3 times a day)and ibuproven (at times)...

I've ran around 3000 miles last year and the year before with almost no problems but there where occational flare ups.., but I also had masters PR's from the mile to the marathon!!

Stay positive!!

no offense but everyone's response on here is the typical PT or doctor advice which takes forever and never really helps and you will have this pain forever. I wish I had known what I know now back in college and high school. Any pain you have can be fixed right now today through massage. Sure icing and strengthening help but to fix the pain today and be out doing your workouts its all about massage. What most people don't realize is that professional athletes get a massage every single day. Michael Phelps gets out of the water after a race and he has four people massaging him. Its because massage provides a full body stretch. Stretching the conventional way does not fully attend to the full muscle. You must engage the muscle and muscle systems everywhere. Stretching will not accomplish this. Tendinitis comes from a muscle being too tight which forms an imbalance in the apposing muscle groups. Most knee pain originates from the pelvic region. I would suggest going to a massage therapist at least once a week and then doing your own self massage everyday. Most of us can't afford to have a professional massage everyday. Buy a package of tennis balls. Get down on the floor with the tennis ball and try positioning it on your quad near the hip flexer. You need to spend sometime with yourself following the pain back to its origin. Don't be afraid to pin point the pain and then follow it back to the pelvic region. Also the butt region and hamstring insertion area is almost universally neglected by runners that don't know any better. Doctors and PT's have no idea what they are doing because they are not runners. You have to take it upon your self to get your body back to health on your own by any means necessary. Yoga will also help lengthen your muscles.

I have a friend who recovered. He took 4 months off completely. He walked but no running or cross training (like cycling) that involved the lower part of his body.

He is back running for well over a year now and he has had no further problems.