I’ve been suffering from some patellar tendonitis since the day or two after Christmas. Good sharp pain, directly below the kneecap, especially when the quads are engaged. I’ve hardly run at all as this seemed to aggravate it the most. I’ve been keeping the fitness up with high cadence (non-climbing) bike and regular swimming (no kick sets).
I’m ready to start to try running again as this is triathlon after all and I can’t completely neglect the 3rd discipline and the knee is starting to feel a bit better after several weeks of RICE.
Here’s the question, as I ease back into running, I’m thinking it might be a good thing to give a little extra support. I’m thinking at this point either trying some KT Tape or those spiffy CWX tights. Or there’s this sort of thing: http://www.amazon.com/Imak-Knee-Strap-ErgoBead-Pressure/dp/B00169YA2S
Anyone have experience with this specifically on the knee? Does one of these supports work better than another? Or is it all snake oil?
Here’s the question, as I ease back into running, I’m thinking it might be a good thing to give a little extra support. I’m thinking at this point either trying some KT Tape or those spiffy CWX tights. Or there’s this sort of thing: http://www.amazon.com/...essure/dp/B00169YA2S
Anyone have experience with this specifically on the knee? Does one of these supports work better than another? Or is it all snake oil?
It’s not snake oil but its not going to help you. Try athletic tape tightly horizontally across the kneecap. You need the kneecap stabilized in place.
I’ve been suffering from some patellar tendonitis since the day or two after Christmas. Good sharp pain, directly below the kneecap, especially when the quads are engaged. I’ve hardly run at all as this seemed to aggravate it the most. I’ve been keeping the fitness up with high cadence (non-climbing) bike and regular swimming (no kick sets).
I’m ready to start to try running again as this is triathlon after all and I can’t completely neglect the 3rd discipline and the knee is starting to feel a bit better after several weeks of RICE.
Here’s the question, as I ease back into running, I’m thinking it might be a good thing to give a little extra support. I’m thinking at this point either trying some KT Tape or those spiffy CWX tights. Or there’s this sort of thing: http://www.amazon.com/...essure/dp/B00169YA2S
Anyone have experience with this specifically on the knee? Does one of these supports work better than another? Or is it all snake oil?
I’ve had it before. The tape actually worked, had my PT put it on and it helped with knee tracking issues. Don’t get the cho pat band. What you really really need to be doing is finding out why you are getting the tendonitis and work on that. Is it in imbalance? Too much too soon? Ill fitting bike? etc. If you don’t figure this out you will be back on the forum in June with “I’ve been dealing with this since December, do I need surgery…” Find someone to diagnose it and fix your issue, all the tape and straps in the world will only cover the symptoms not fix the problem.
What you really really need to be doing is finding out why you are getting the tendonitis and work on that. Is it in imbalance? Too much too soon? Ill fitting bike? etc. If you don’t figure this out you will be back on the forum in June with “I’ve been dealing with this since December, do I need surgery…” Find someone to diagnose it and fix your issue, all the tape and straps in the world will only cover the symptoms not fix the problem.
I did go to an ortho, and it was a case of too much too soon and a little extra weight. There were no other changes in position or shoes. So I’ve followed his orders, lost some lbs and it really is feeling better, just want to play it safe on the comeback road.
What you really really need to be doing is finding out why you are getting the tendonitis and work on that. Is it in imbalance? Too much too soon? Ill fitting bike? etc. If you don’t figure this out you will be back on the forum in June with “I’ve been dealing with this since December, do I need surgery…” Find someone to diagnose it and fix your issue, all the tape and straps in the world will only cover the symptoms not fix the problem.
I did go to an ortho, and it was a case of too much too soon and a little extra weight. There were no other changes in position or shoes. So I’ve followed his orders, lost some lbs and it really is feeling better, just want to play it safe on the comeback road.
Good call then. As long as you have a plan of action you should be cool. I remember with mine it was touch and go on the recovery, don’t force it or you will have knee pain just as bad as before. I would also massage the area with ice after my workouts, seemed to help. Good luck and take it slow!
The following has helped me manage (Initially you need to let it heal though):
Quad and IT band stretches
Escentric (negative) one legged squats (standing on down hill slope). Twice a day 7 days a week.
Foam roller on IT Band and quads
Physical therapy to strengthen weak glute and core.
For me I had to really try everything to see what worked. Best help for me came from my Physical therapist and friend who is a trainer who showed me a few really good IT band stretches. Foam roller was also a God send.
Good luck. It is a bummer to have to deal with but keep trying to find what works for you.
The following has helped me manage (Initially you need to let it heal though):
Quad and IT band stretches
Escentric (negative) one legged squats (standing on down hill slope). Twice a day 7 days a week.
Foam roller on IT Band and quads
Physical therapy to strengthen weak glute and core.
For me I had to really try everything to see what worked. Best help for me came from my Physical therapist and friend who is a trainer who showed me a few really good IT band stretches. Foam roller was also a God send.
Good luck. It is a bummer to have to deal with but keep trying to find what works for you.
+1 Had the same problem, wore all sorts of knee support, tapes, straps,etc… But it only solved the problem temporarily as my knee problem got worse. What worked was cutting back on my running volume and did the above exercises and therapy.
In my opinion, straps, tapes are like crutches, will further weaken your knee as your knee will become dependent on them. The best straps and support are the ligaments, joints and tendons in our body, you only need to make them stronger.
I’m a Certified Athletic Training and also I’m currently getting my Doctorate in Physical Therapy so I have had many experience treating patellar tendonitis. To begin, the patellar tendon strap or the “cho-pad” are great to utilize if you find that it works for you. Everybody is different so that is a trial and error type of intervention. You can also by pre-wrap and roll it up from your lower leg up to the patellar tendon. Another intervention that I found works well is utilizing weight training for the quads. As I’m sure you know, the quads insert to the tibia via the patellar tendon so performing exercises such as leg extension at 40% your one repetition max at 3 sets of 8-10 will assist in the healing. Things do avoid would include any sort of plyometrics of the lower extremities and icing prior to activity. If possible, be sure to get an adequate warm up or even a hot pack over the patellar tendon for about 20 minutes before your workout and always ice or ice cup after for 20 minutes. However, as someone commented above, unless this was a “too much, too fast” injury, you would have to get to the root of the problem or else your injury will flare up again. I hope this helps. Keep us posted on your injury.
As a sports massage therapist for the past 6 years, I’ll offer my personal suggestions.
Foam roll your quads before and after each workout. I would use it for all of your legs and hips/glutes.
Get your entire leg massaged 1 time per week for 4-6 weeks and 1 time per month after that by a therapist that specializes in injuries and sports massage.
KT tape and compression will have little to no effect on fixing or preventing a PT problem, but if it helps you mentally, feel free to use them.
The debate is out on ice and tendons, I usually recommend it to my clients though.
If you think the activity that you are doing on your leg MIGHT aggravate it, then it probably IS.
You’ve done well so far, just incorporate the foam roll and the massage therapy and you should be back to 100% in a month or 2.
What kind of glute function do you have? Have you had it tested? Start with that. Lack of glute activation and over activity of the hip flexors can lead to patellar tendonitis.
Try athletic tape tightly horizontally across the kneecap. You need the kneecap stabilized in place.
THIS worked for me! I’m in the midst of training for my first marathon and started having lots of PT pain. I spoke with a friend of mine who is a physical therapist. She figured out how my patella was tilting and showedme how to tape across the top half of my patella, pulling the kneecap in to the center ever so slightly, so that the tilt of the bottom half of my patella would be “up” a little.
I was a little dubious but ready to try anything, as I was on the verge of having to give up on this marathon. It is working SO WELL!
Ideally, you ramp up properly, rest injuries fully, etc. but in the real world we all race for our own reasons. I’m ecstatic this is working for me and recommend anyone training with PT go see a sports physical therapist.
There are a lot of different places to turn for knee supports. I deal with sports injury management, and my only advice is to get one that is deemed long lasting, as quality is often an issue.
Diclofenac. It kicked the crap out of my PT issues.
I’m taking the same thing for quad tendonitis right now… How long did it take for you to see some improvement and eventually get rid of your tendonitis? Thanks in advance!