Patellar tendonitis (PT) is a chronic overuse injury, associated with anterior knee pain sustained during activity, and is a result of the patella tendon becoming overstressed and inflamed (Kettunen et al., 2002). A tendon is defined as a dense, fibrous tissue which is made up of collagenous fibres and attaches muscles to other body parts; usually bones. The patella tendon is located on the anterior aspect of the knee, and is a continuation of the quadriceps tendon and attaching on to the patella and the tibial tuberosity (Kuntzman and Tortora, 2010) and is the main structure by which the knee straightens. When the quadriceps muscles contract, the patella tendon is pulled, and in turn this pulls on the tibia, causing the leg to straighten. …show more content…
Providing the injury is managed correctly, and the appropriate treatments are implemented, an athlete should be able to return to sport within 6 months for a mild or moderate injury, and between 9 and 12 months for a severe injury. The appropriate treatments for PT vary depending on the stage at which the injury is at; whether it be the inflammatory response phase, the fibroblastic repair stage or the maturation remodelling stage. Each one of these stages plays a crucial part towards the repair of an injury, and they all have their own individual characteristics and time scales throughout the process, however it is not a linear process, and an injury can move backwards and forwards throughout the …show more content…
In order to produce this tissue, fibroblasts are sent to the site of the injury where they begin to construct a new collagen matrix, which acts as a framework for which the new tissue cells can grow on to, and into which a new network of blood vessels form, a process known as