What is patellar tendonitis? Can it affect your running activities and training requirements? If you’re frequently suffering from knee pain from running, your condition can really affect your performance when tackling said activities.
Having patellar tendonitis can be very painful and it can restrict even your normal routines. If not treated, this can really diminish your quality of life.
Understanding Patellar Tendonitis
The patellar tendon is comprised of a group of short but wide tissues that connect the patella (knee cap) to the tibia. One of its main functions is to absorb pressure and shock so as to protect the knee joints, knee cap, and surrounding muscles and tissues from damages.
When exposed to too much pressure and trauma, however, the patellar tendon on the knees can get damaged and cause pain whenever your knees and legs move. Actions that can cause intense pressure on the tendon include running and jumping; and these movements are commonly employed when one is going through physical training and exercises. It’s not the same thing with patellofemoral pain syndrome exercises as this is a therapeutic method of exercising.
Symptoms of Patellar Tendonitis
You can suffer from knee pain from running if you have patellar tendonitis; that is actually one of the early signs of having this condition. In some cases, feelings of stiffness on the affected knee are also reported.
For this particular condition, you will also notice that the pain is there when you are descending stairs or are running down hills. Motions that involve going up are not that painful.
In really serious cases of patellar tendonitis, you can experience pain even if you’re not moving. And the pain can run continuously too, so medical attention is really needed.
Patellar Tendonitis and Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
A lot of patients are confused with the symptoms of Patellar Tendonitis and Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS).
PFPS, because of its varying symptoms, can be mistaken as patellar tendonitis. Although there are cases wherein the pain can exist on the top part of the knee, there are also instances when the pain can come from deep inside. And that could make it really confusing.
Both cases can be treated by employing patellofemoral pain syndrome exercises as having strong muscle and tissue structure can help a person avoid knee problems. However, in serious cases of patellar tendonitis, it may be necessary to go through surgical procedures.
How to Avoid Patellar Tendonitis
Always having knee pain from running is already a warning sign that you could have knee problems or that you’re prone to such ailments. So if this is the case with you, employing regulated running is recommended as well as doing patellofemoral pain syndrome exercises. And if you are into sports, extra care is called for.
Knee problems can also be avoided through the usage of right footwear. So if you’re wearing running shoes or sneakers, make sure that these are appropriate to the type of activities that you are participating in and that your feet size and condition are all taken into consideration.
While it’s natural to be concerned about your knees, don’t take your feet for granted. Your ankles and heels can get injured too; that’s why being properly geared up for running is always recommended.
What's Causing My Knee Pain?
