End the Pain of Patellar Tendinopathy With Targeted, Proven Care

Patellar tendinopathy—often called jumper’s knee—is a common overuse injury that causes pain just below your kneecap. It’s especially common in sports that require frequent jumping and landing, like volleyball, basketball, and Pickleball, but it can also affect runners and people who spend a lot of time on stairs or squatting.

What Is Patellar Tendinopathy?

Your patellar tendon connects your kneecap to your shinbone and helps you straighten your knee. When it’s overloaded by repetitive stress—especially from jumping, landing, or sudden changes in direction—tiny tears can develop in the tendon fibers. Over time, these can lead to degeneration and persistent pain.

Even though it’s often called jumper’s knee, research shows landing places nearly twice as much stress on the tendon as jumping. That means your pain might come from how you land, not just how you take off.

Common Causes and Risk Factors

You may be more likely to develop patellar tendinopathy if you:

Play sports with repetitive jumping or sprinting
Land with excessive knee bend or inward foot rotation
Have structural differences in your knee or kneecap alignment
Experience Leg Length Discrepancy or other lower limb imbalances
Increase training volume or intensity too quickly

Signs and Symptoms

Typical symptoms include:

Pain just below the kneecap, especially during activity
Stiffness after sitting or resting
Pain when squatting, climbing stairs, or running downhill
Tenderness when pressing on the tendon
In some younger athletes, similar pain at the shinbone may indicate Osgood-Schlatter Disease

How We Diagnose It

We use a combination of physical tests and movement assessments to identify patellar tendinopathy. Some common evaluations include:

Decline squat test – squatting on a sloped surface to reproduce symptoms
Palpation test – pressing on the tendon to check for tenderness
Flexion-relief tests – seeing if pain decreases when the knee is bent
Functional movement testing to identify weaknesses and faulty mechanics

Imaging like ultrasound or MRI may be used when necessary to rule out other causes.

Targeted, Proven Care for Patellar Tendinopathy

Our approach blends in-office treatments with a personalized home exercise plan to promote tendon healing and prevent recurrence.

In-Clinic Care

Manual therapy for tight muscles in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves
Joint mobilization for the knee, hip, and ankle
Patellar taping or straps to reduce strain during activity
Shockwave therapy or laser therapy for tendon healing
Corrective exercises to address muscle imbalances and movement faults

Home & Rehab Plan

Eccentric strengthening – slow, controlled lowering exercises on a decline board
Isometric holds to reduce pain and improve muscle activation
Progressive loading to strengthen the tendon without overloading it
Hip and core training for better movement control
Balance exercises to prevent further injuries

Some patients may also benefit from custom orthotics if foot posture is contributing to knee stress.

Recovery and Return to Activity

Recovery time depends on the severity and how long you’ve had symptoms. Many athletes continue playing through pain, but early treatment can speed recovery and lower the risk of developing other conditions, like Iliotibial Band Syndrome or Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), from compensation patterns.

If knee pain is keeping you from your sport or daily activities—or if it’s lasted more than a couple of weeks—it’s time for an evaluation. The sooner you address the problem, the faster and more complete your recovery will be.

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Discover how we may help!

We are the Memphis area’s top-rated chiropractic group, providing you with gentle chiropractic care, dry needle therapy, exercise therapy, and therapeutic massage.

2845 Summer Oaks Dr, Memphis, TN 38134
(901) 377-2340

Life Shouldn't Hurt!

You Deserve To Feel Great. We Can Help!
Your go-to Chiropractor in Memphis, TN

Richard L. Cole, DC, DACNB, DAIPM, FIACN, FICC
Jeffrey D. Luebbe, DC, CCRD, CCSP
W. Steven Vollmer, DC, DAAPM
Bradford J. Cole, DC, MS, CSCS
J. Colby Poston, DC
Daniel H. Smith, DC
2845 Summer Oaks Dr., Memphis, TN 38134
(901) 377-2340

Monday – Friday:
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday :
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Walk-ins are Welcome!