Jumper's Knee 

  • Author: Garrett Scott Hyman, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: Craig C Young, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jul 1, 2011
 

Background

Blazina et al first used the term jumper's knee (patellar tendinopathy, patellar tendinosis, patellar tendinitis) in 1973 to describe an insertional tendinopathy seen in skeletally mature athletes,[1] although Sinding-Larson, Johansson, and Smillie once described this condition. Jumper's knee usually affects the attachment of the patellar tendon to the inferior patellar pole. The definition was subsequently widened to include tendinopathy of the attachment of the quadriceps tendon to the superior patellar pole or tendinopathy of the attachment of the patellar tendon to the anterior tuberosity of the tibia. The term jumper's knee implies functional stress overload due to jumping (see image below).

The proximal patellar tendon is most commonly affeThe proximal patellar tendon is most commonly affected in jumper's knee.

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Foot, Ankle, Knee, and Hip Center and Sports Injury Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Knee Pain Overview, Knee Injury, and Tendinitis.

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Epidemiology

Frequency

United States

Jumper's knee is certainly one of the more common tendinopathies affecting skeletally mature athletes, occurring in as many as 20% of jumping athletes. With regard to bilateral tendinopathy, males and females are equally affected. With regard to unilateral tendinopathy, the male-to-female ratio is 2:1.

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Functional Anatomy

The rectus femoris and 3 vasti muscles (ie, the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius muscles) join in a common quadriceps tendon that inserts on the patella, the largest sesamoid bone in the human body. This same tendon is known as the patellar tendon from the inferior pole of the patella to its distal insertion at the tibial tuberosity.

Radiologic and histologic studies have shown that the posterior proximal fibers of the patellar tendon appear to be most commonly affected in jumper's knee.[2] Counter to these findings, however, biomechanical research has demonstrated that these posterior fibers can withstand greater tensile strains before failing, compared with the anterior fibers.[3]

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Sport-Specific Biomechanics

Jumper's knee is believed to be caused by repetitive stress placed on the patellar or quadriceps tendon during jumping. It is an injury specific to athletes, particularly those participating in jumping sports such as basketball,[4, 5, 6, 7, 8] volleyball,[7, 8, 9, 10] or high or long jumping.[7, 10] Jumper's knee is occasionally found in soccer players, and in rare cases, it may be seen in athletes in nonjumping sports, such as weight lifting and cycling.

Investigators have implicated sex, greater body weight, genu varum and genu valgum, an increased Q angle, patella alta and patella baja, and limb-length inequality as intrinsic risk factors.[11] However, the only biomechanical impairment prospectively linked to jumper's knee is poor quadriceps and hamstring flexibility. Vertical jump ability, as well as jumping and landing technique, are believed to influence tendon loading.[4, 10, 12]

Overtraining and playing on hard surfaces have been implicated as extrinsic risk factors.

Interestingly, the patellar tendon experiences greater mechanical load during landing than during jumping because of the eccentric muscle contraction of the quadriceps. Therefore, eccentric muscle action during landing, rather than concentric muscle contraction during jumping, may exert the tensile loads that lead to injury.[13]

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Proceed to Clinical Presentation
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Garrett Scott Hyman, MD, MPH  Consulting Physician, Northwest Spine and Sports Physicians, PC; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington

Garrett Scott Hyman, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Association, and North American Spine Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Gerard A Malanga, MD  Director of Pain Management, Overlook Hospital; Director of PM&R Sports Medicine Fellowship, Atlantic Health; Clinical Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School; Clinical Chief, Rehabilitation Medicine and Electrodiagnosis, St Michael's Medical Center; Fellow, American College of Sports Medicine

Gerard A Malanga, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American College of Sports Medicine, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, International Spine Intervention Society, and North American Spine Society

Disclosure: Cephalon Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Endo Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Genzyme Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Prostakan Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Pfizer Consulting fee Speaking and teaching

Irfan Alladin, MD  Staff Physician, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Dentistry at New Jersey

Irfan Alladin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Leslie Milne, MD  Assistant Clinical Instructor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard University School of Medicine

Leslie Milne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Sports Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Russell D White, MD  Professor of Medicine, Director of Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, Medical Director, Sports Medicine Center, Head Team Physician, University of Missouri-Kansas City Intercollegiate Athletic Program, Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Truman Medical Center Lakewood

Russell D White, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American College of Sports Medicine, American Diabetes Association, and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Jon B Whitehurst, MD  Clinical Instructor of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Partner, Rockford Orthopedic Associates; Orthopedic Chairman, Rockford Memorial Hospital

Jon B Whitehurst, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy Association of North America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Craig C Young, MD  Professor, Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Community and Family Medicine, Medical Director of Sports Medicine, Director of Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin

Craig C Young, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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The proximal patellar tendon is most commonly affected in jumper's knee.
 
 
 
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