Quadricep Tendonitis is determined as swelling in the quadricep muscle and tendon due to overuse or alignment disorders in knee joints. Most athletes or individuals with increased physical activity can show quadricep tendonitis. Treatment for tendonitis involves resting, avoiding hard exercises, and administering anti-inflammatory drugs.
Other considerations for treatment purposes include physical therapies or surgeries. Tendonitis may affect knees, quadriceps, ankles,s and hips.
Quadricep Tendonitis
The quadricep tendon connects the quadricep muscles to the kneecap. Inflammation in quadricep tendons may be triggered by some activities like kneeling, repetitive jumping, gymnastics, and volleyball. Sometimes individuals who suddenly increase their physical activities and stress may also report quadricep tendonitis.
Quadricep tendonitis is also known as quadricep tendinopathy or tendonitis.
What Are The Symptoms Of Quadricep Tendonitis?
Quadricep tendonitis exhibits pain above the kneecap. Pain may vary from acute to sharp and progresses with the passage of time. Some individuals showed that pain disappears after performing specific movements. Whereas others identified the following symptoms along with pain and discomfort
- Muscle stiffness, more visible in the morning
- Tenderness
- Weakness
- Limited Mobility
- Swelling around quadricep tendon
- Touch sensitivity
- Burning pain in the affected area
What Causes Quadricep Tendonitis?
Several activities that involve sudden turns, stops, jumping, running, starts, and turns contribute to quadricep tendonitis. However, the most commonly discussed factor among causes is overuse. As a result, small tears are developed in tendons. Other movements that lead to quadricep tendonitis are
- Poor posture
- Sudden trauma
- Walking habits
- Inappropriate footwear
- Alignment disorders in foot and ankle
- Obesity
- Excessive frequency of training
Who Is At Greater Risk?
There are no specifications for the individuals who may get affected by quadriceps tendonitis. However, any active individual either an athlete or sportsman, or a regular person who has increased the intensity of activities is at greater risk of getting quadricep tendonitis exercises.
In fact, those who have the following habits are more easy targets
- Run on hard roads
- Jumping sports including basketball, volleyball
- Without warm-up exercises
- Repetitive squats
Other risk factors involve diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, leukemia, gout, and chronic renal infections
Can Quadricep Tendonitis Be Diagnosed
Experts at pain management Fort Worth diagnose quadricep tendonitis by including the following exams:
Physical Examination: After visual inspection, a doctor will identify the severity of pain, inflammation, and tenderness.
Past medical History: Noting medical history facilitates identifying underlying causes.
Imaging Tests: Internal damage is estimated by MRI and CT scans.
Treatment for Quadricep Tendonitis
Several treatment options are available for the management of quadricep tendonitis. The first attempt is to reduce the frequency of activities that increase stress on tendons. However, maintenance of cardiovascular health is also very necessary through specific exercises including swimming and cycling. Other treatment options include the following
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Non-Surgical Treatment
Conservative treatments at pain management clinic are first selected to treat quadricep tendonitis. As it can also be said that non-surgical treatments are the first line of treatment. They include
The RICE Technique:
- Rest
- Icing
- Compression
- Elevation
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Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a very important part of tendonitis therapy. It facilitates the reduction in pain and inflammation. It involves strengthening exercises including eccentric exercises or resistance training that reduces the load on the quadriceps. These exercises can be performed by wearing braces, taping, and orthotics. It helps the muscles to get strong and align during movements. Other techniques of physical therapy include
- Hot and cold treatment
- Massage therapy
- Individualized exercise programs
- Sound wave therapy
All these exercises strengthen the hamstrings and hips. They also increase muscle and tendon flexibility.
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Anti-inflammatory Medications
Medications available without prescription including pain killers can be used to reduce pain.
Following non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be administered for this purpose
- Naproxen
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen
However, some healthcare experts may also recommend acetaminophen or corticosteroid injections instead of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs depending on the patient’s condition.
If non-surgical and physical therapies do not work, other procedures can be used like extracorporeal shock wave therapy, platelet-rich plasma, and percutaneous ultrasound tendon.
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Surgical Treatments
The majority of affected individuals do not require surgery, however, if necessary a surgeon may recommend surgical procedures. They include the following:
- Open Surgery: Single large incision
- Arthroscopic surgery: Small incisions using a small camera, and a surgical instrument. Invasion is less than open surgery.
- Percutaneous Ultrasound Tendon Invasion: Damage tissues are removed by using ultrasonic waves.
When to Visit a Medical Help?
Plan a visit to a medical doctor if you observe the following symptoms:
- Knee pain does not go away after rest and icing
- Worsen with time
- Skin becomes red or swollen
- Disturbs daily activities
Recovery and Outlook
Recovery time varies in different individuals depending on several factors. These factors include age, intensity of pain, treatment plans, and overall health reports. However, non-surgical treatments require a few weeks to recover. But may also take 6-12 weeks for complete recovery. Surgical treatments require 6-9 months to recover the injury. But severe movements must be avoided for 6 months until you are completely fine.
