Jumper’s Knee is a common diagnosis that is also known as patellar tendinopathy in adults or Osgood-Schlatters Disease or Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome in adolescents. In simple terms, these diagnoses mean that there has been too much stress placed on the patellar tendon (Figure 1) and there is now a disruption of the tendon fibers.

The presentation varies from adults and adolescents. Adults would feel the symptoms of pain/discomfort localized to the patellar tendon and can point to it quite locally. On the other hand, adolescents may describe the pain as around the lower area of the knee cap, extending to the either the lower end of the patella (Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome) or at the tibial tubercle (Osgood-Schlatters Disease) (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Sites of Osgood-Schlatters Disease & Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome

Regardless of the age of the individual, the treatment remains relatively similar. The goal of physical therapy in this case is to reduce – NOT eliminate – the load the tendon is placed under. Once the load is reduced and symptoms begin to subside, then load is appropriately increased as well as the intensity of activity to prepare for return to sport or activity.

It can be difficult to understand how or where to start, and that’s where we come in. Reach out to one of our three locations in Glendale, Kew Gardens (soon to be Briarwood) or Manhasset to have one of our physical therapists evaluate and create an individualized program to get you back where you need to be!