What Is Jumper's Knee? Jumper's knee is an injury of the patellar tendon. The patellar tendon is the cord-like tissue that joins the patella (kneecap) to the tibia (shinbone). What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Jumper's Knee? Common symptoms of jumper's knee include: pain below the kneecap, especially during sports, climbing stairs, and bending the knee a swollen knee joint knee stiffness What Causes Jumper's Knee? Jumper's knee is an overuse injury (when repeated movements injure a part of the body). It happens when frequent jumping, running, and changing direction damages the patellar tendon. It's also called patellar tendonitis. Who Gets Jumper's Knee? Jumper's knee usually affects people who play sports where there is a lot of jumping and running, such as track and field, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, running, and soccer. How Is Jumper's Knee Diagnosed? To diagnose jumper's knee, health care providers: ask about symptoms do a physical exam order imaging tests such as an X-ray or MRI, if needed How Is Jumper's Knee Treated? Treatment for jumper's knee includes: rest and taking a break from sports ice taping or wearing a knee support or strap just under the patella sitting with the leg raised ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, or store brand) to help with pain and swelling massage therapy strengthening and stretching muscles through physical therapy or an at-home exercise program If someone with jumper's knee does not rest the knee, the tendon can become more damaged. Although it is not common, surgery may be needed if: the pain does not go away the patellar tendon is more damaged than is typical with jumper's knee Looking Ahead It will probably take a few weeks to months for your child to recover from jumper's knee. To help your child heal as quickly as possible, follow your health care provider's instructions about: which activities to avoid which activities are OK (for example, swimming may be fine while your child is healing) strengthening exercises making and keeping all follow-up doctor visits After recovery, your child should always stretch before and after sports, and avoid overtraining. This can help prevent jumper's knee and other sports injuries too. Back to Articles Related Articles A to Z: Patellar Dislocation Patellar dislocation happens when the patella (kneecap) slips out of its normal position. Read More Knee Injury: Caroline's Story Caroline loved sports. But when an ongoing knee injury kept her from playing the sports she loved, she discovered new interests. Read her story. Read More Meniscus Tears The key to healing meniscus tears is not to get back into play too quickly. Find out what meniscus tears are and how to treat them. 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The musculoskeletal system supports our bodies, protects our organs from injury, and enables movement. Read More Osgood-Schlatter Disease Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is one of the most common causes of knee pain in adolescents. It's really not a disease, but an overuse injury. Read More Your Bones Where would you be without your bones? Learn more about the skeletal system in this article for kids. Read More Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tears ACL injuries can happen in active and athletic kids when excessive pressure is put on the knee joint, resulting in a torn ligament. Read More Bones, Muscles, and Joints Our bones, muscles, and joints form our musculoskeletal system and enable us to do everyday physical activities. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. 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