Overcoming Patellar Tendonitis

Hey Rick...

I was just diagnosed w/ PT  a few weeks ago.  FWIW, time off alone didn't help - I first noticed the pain a couple of months ago and then stopped training completely for other reasons.  The pain persisted and didn't really decrease over the two months I didn't train - it wasn't terrible, but I could always feel it, especially going up stairs.  When I resumed my workout I went to a physical therapist and she diagnosed it (I didn't know what it was until then). 

In just a few sessions she's really alleviated the pain and I expect it to be gone in a few weeks (it would be quicker If I consistently did the stretches and exercises and icing she prescribed for 'homework').  Also, I work out twice a day and while she said I should decrease the intensity and duration of my runs and biking, she didn't see the need to stop entirely.  Following is the regimen I've been following (note I haven't taken any drugs/antiinflammatories):

Physical Therapy (twice a week):

* An electrical  stimulator - not sure what its called, but she places an electrode on either side of the tender area at the top of the shin and it contracts the muscle in a rhythmic way.  She keeps it on for about 15 minutes.

* Quad and hamstring exercises (leg lifts and similar; also some shallow squats)

* Quad/hamstring/calf stretches - some on my own, some she stretches me.

* A knee massage - fyi the patellar tendon stretches from the bottom of the quad (that area, anyway) over the knee cap to the top of the shin.  She massages my knee cap, moving it around and basically stretching the tendon.  She had said that when I first went the tendon felt really tight - not much float in the knee - and that it's improved.  From my perspective, I think its the massage that's really doing the trick - I immediately noticed a decrease in the discomfort.

* light cardio (unless I went to the gym right before therapy, which I've done once or twice)

I've only gone for 3 sessions but see a marked difference.  Also, I've kept up my running, etc., just at a slightly lower intensity.  Also. before I started PT I would notice an increased sensitivity after my workouts.  Now, with the decrease in intensity and the PT, the increase in sensitivity is significantly less and also persists for a much shorter period - 30-45 mintes max (if that).

Also, I'm supposed to ice and stretch at home but I've been extremely negligent in doing so.  When I get more consistent with that I'm sure I'll see quicker results.

Hope this helps... 

I had this while training for my first marathon and my PT did the same thing ezl's did. The massage, plus taping on my knee helped a good bit. I took off 2 weeks and then resumed training and even ran the mary. I also used a knee strap similar to a cho-pat.

After the marathon I took about a week off and then resumed running but much much shorter distances. Kept my long run at about 5 miles (instead of 15-18) for about 2 months and my pain went away. Iced my knee after every run, and took ibuprofen when I needed it for any issues. Kept the exercises the PT gave me and self massaged the knee cap. By the end of the summer (this happened in May) I was pain free and have been (knock on wood) since then (over a year now), but I still do the exercises and self massage. PT said my left quad was weaker and was not stabilizing my knee cap the way it should...

Good luck.