When it comes to treating patellar tendonitis, it’s very important to look at the ankle as a contributing factor.
The ankle is a key shocker absorber when it comes to landing a jump or running as seen in sports such as volleyball and basketball (which is why patellar tendonitis is referred to as jumper’s knee).
Limited dorsiflexion impairs your body’s ability to absorb forces so your body has to compensate and distribute that force to it’s nearest joint, the knee, causing the patellar tendon to experience greater loads.
Insufficient dorsiflexion can happen from too much tension in the calf muscles, stiffness in the ankle joint itself, or due to previous ankle injuries such as sprains.
Based on studies done, reduced dorsiflexion increases the risk of developing patellar tendinopathy by at least 10 times!
Therefore, limitations in the mobility of the ankle can contribute to many issues up the kinetic chain.
In this video I show you the runner’s stance dorsiflexion exercise and a calf stretch, which helps to increase ankle dorsiflexion and also stretches the soleus muscle.
Along with soft tissue work you should also incorporate slanted board eccentric squats and hip abduction and hip external rotation exercises that work the whole kinetic chain of the lower extremities.
To treat patellar tendinitis correctly, you have to take into consideration contributing factors above and below the knee joint.
Below the knee joint, you have to look at the arches on your feet, the mobility in your ankles, and the tension in the calves.
Above the knee joint, you have to look at the flexibility in the hamstrings, mobility of the hips, the tightness in the quads, and weakness in the gluteus medius muscles.
Even the best knee brace or patellar tendonitis strap will not fix your patellar tendonitis. If you need a brace or knee strap on a regular basis just to get by, you are better off getting to the underlying root of the problem.
This is why it’s important to incorporate a complete treatment plan that shows you the correct patellar tendonitis exercises and stretches if you want to heal your jumper’s knee and patellar tendon pain.
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