<h2>Does Jumper’s Knee Have You Sidelined?</h2>
Jumper’s Knee is a painful knee condition commonly due to a sports-related overuse injury. Patellar tendonitis is another name for this progressive activity-related injury which is linked to repetitive stress that is placed on the patellar tendon. Individuals with Jumper’s Knee may try to manage the pain on their own for a while. They may attempt to stabilize the knee with a brace or knee sleeve, or calm the pain with over-the-counter medications, or even rest the knee a bit in order to be able to play in the next game or participate in their upcoming event.
<h2>The Patellar Tendon and Jumper’s Knee</h2>
The patellar tendon connects the kneecap or patella to the shinbone. The tendon passes from the large muscle at the front of the thigh, over the kneecap and then connects to the shinbone. Although many may think their tendon is just inflamed, the main problem is more degenerative in nature. The repeated stress from the force of hitting hard surfaces while contracting the leg muscle during the jumping maneuver, over and over, results in a weakening of the tendon. Left untreated, this overuse injury from frequent jumping overloads the tendon and can degenerate it. Half of all cases of Jumper’s Knee become chronic with instances of recurrence.
<h2>Symptoms of Jumper’s Knee</h2>
Not everyone with Jumper’s Knee experiences the same symptoms, but there is generally pain and tenderness noted around the patellar tendon, especially when jumping, running, or even walking. Individuals with Jumper’s Knee may notice swelling of the knee and pain with bending or straightening of the leg, and pain behind the kneecap.
<h2>Treating Jumper’s Knee</h2>
Chasing and suppressing symptoms with bracing and pain medications may keep the swelling down and provide momentary pain relief, but a knee sleeve, for example, will only give a false sense of security while only temporarily helping the sufferer to function. The debilitating pain, however, will keep the athlete searching for a cure.  Doctors may suggest surgery, because they consider Jumper’s Knee difficult to fix, especially since it tends to recur. However, surgery prolongs the athlete’s return to sport for more than six months.<a href="#_edn1" name="_ednref1"><sup>[i]</sup></a>  And what if the surgery fails? Then, those with a degenerated patellar tendon still have a condition that is difficult to fix. Are there other options? Here’s what doctors in New York say, “Due to its common refractory response (difficulty in treating) to conservative treatment, a variety of new treatments have emerged recently that include dry-needling, <strong>sclerosing injections (Prolotherapy)</strong>, <a href="https://www.caringmedical.com/what-is-prolotherapy-with-platelet-rich-plasma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>platelet-rich plasma therapy</strong></a><strong> (PRP)</strong><strong>,</strong> arthroscopic surgical procedures, surgical resection of the inferior patellar pole (cutting away tendon tissue at the kneecap),”etc … <a href="#_edn2" name="_ednref2"><sup>[ii]</sup></a> At OrthoRegen, the regenerative treatments we use for painful joint conditions include Platelet Rich Plasma and Prolotherapy. But the researchers listed surgery too! Why do surgery if PRP is good enough? And is it good enough to effectively treat Jumper’s Knee? Studies done in Europe demonstrate the effectiveness of Platelet Rich Plasma for those with Jumper’s Knee, and its ability to improve pain symptoms and functionality, saying, “The most important finding in our meta-analysis is that PRP injections are statistically better than the control group at longer term follow-up suggesting that PRP is an effective and worthwhile treatment for Patellar Tendinopathy. <a href="#_edn3" name="_ednref3">[iii]</a><sup>,<a href="#_edn4" name="_ednref4">[iv]</a></sup> A 2018 study agreed that multiple PRP injections offer the most satisfactory results.<a href="#_edn5" name="_ednref5">[v]</a> Athletes are looking to non-surgical therapies such as stem cell treatments and platelet rich plasma treatments, because they are showing improved outcomes in those with patellar tendon conditions like Jumper’s Knee.<a href="#_edn6" name="_ednref6">[vi]</a>
<h2>Treating Jumper’s Knee with Regenerative Orthopedics</h2>
At OrthoRegen, using regenerative therapies like Platelet Rich Plasma, Stem Cell Therapy, and Prolotherapy is what we do. By treating Jumper’s Knee with Regenerative Orthopedics, athletes can get back to their sport. We see substantial, consistent improvements in pain outcomes when treating those with Jumper’s Knee and patellar tendon conditions.  <strong>Regenerative Orthopedics can treat various knee disorders including problems of the tendons, because the</strong><strong> injections directed at the weakened tendons and involved ligaments</strong> stimulate a string of healing events, which include an increase of blood supply, an influx of reparative cells, and the deposition of collagen cells. When the collagen matures, it will strengthen and tighten the damaged tendons and ligaments.

<strong>Why would we treat the ligaments too? </strong>The ongoing and recurring kneecap pain in tendon conditions is rooted in knee instability. Patients with Jumper’s Knee often have concurrent weakness in the ligaments of the knee. These ligaments play a huge role in stabilizing the knee, and when weak, will put more strain on the patellar tendon. The problem of weak ligaments needs to be addressed in treatment. Therefore, we treat the knee comprehensively, and make sure we treat any injured and weakened ligaments as well, in order to achieve the best results. Comprehensive treatment will result in repair and healing, tightening of the ligaments, and strengthening and repair of the patellar tendon, so the knee and all of its structures function normally, and the athlete and individual sidelined by Jumper’s Knee can return confidently and pain-free to the sport and activities they love.

<a href="#_ednref1" name="_edn1">[i]</a> Cook J L, Khan KM, Harcourt PR, <em>et al. </em><a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/31/4/332.short" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A cross sectional study of 100 athletes with jumper’s knee managed conservatively and surgically.</a> The Victorian Institute of Sport Tendon Study Group. Br J Sports Med1997; 31: 332 – 336.

<a href="#_ednref2" name="_edn2">[ii]</a> Christian RA, Rossy WH, Sherman OH. Patellar tendinopathy – recent developments toward treatment. Bull Hosp Jt Dis (2013). 2014;72(3):217-24.

<a href="#_ednref3" name="_edn3">[iii]</a> Kaux JF, Bruyere O, Croisier JL, Forthomme B, Le Goff C, Crielaard JM. One-year follow-up of platelet-rich plasma infiltration to treat chronic proximal patellar tendinopathies. Acta Orthop Belg. 2015 Jun;81(2):251-6.

<a href="#_ednref4" name="_edn4">[iv]</a> Dupley L, Charalambous CP. Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections as a Treatment for Refractory Patellar Tendinosis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Trials. Knee surgery &amp; related research. 2017 Sep;29(3):165.

<a href="#_ednref5" name="_edn5">[v]</a> Andriolo L, Altamura SA, Reale D, Candrian C, Zaffagnini S, Filardo G. Nonsurgical Treatments of Patellar Tendinopathy: Multiple Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma Are a Suitable Option: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. The American journal of sports medicine. 2018 Mar 1:0363546518759674.

<a href="#_ednref6" name="_edn6">[vi]</a> Kopka M, Bradley JP. The Use of Biologic Agents in Athletes with Knee Injuries. J Knee Surg. 2016 Jul;29(5):379-86. doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1584194. Epub 2016 May 20.