Jumper’s knee

Jumper’s knee is caused by overloading of the large extensor tendon of the knee, the quadriceps tendon. It is an injury in which the tendon becomes thickened and small tears develop in the tendon tissue.

The cause of jumper’s knee is that the extensor tendon of the knee has been overloaded at the point where the tendon attaches to the kneecap. The injury occurs from training too much and from many forceful take-offs, for example during sudden changes of running direction in ball sports.

Our sports medicine doctors frequently see this condition here at CPH Privathospital.

Symptoms of jumper’s knee

• Persistent pain when walking, running or jumping
• Pain when squatting
• Swelling

Examination of jumper’s knee

Our sports medicine doctor makes the diagnosis based on your medical history, the clinical examination and an ultrasound scan. It may be necessary to perform an MRI scan to rule out other conditions in the knee.

How is jumper’s knee treated?

You should first and foremost relieve the load on your knee. You should avoid training involving jumping, hopping and running. You must also not have pain in the knee after training. It can take 3–6 months for the tendon to heal.

To reduce the irritation, an injection with corticosteroid and/or anti-inflammatory medication can be given.

In rare cases, surgery may be necessary, in which the surgeon removes some of the diseased tissue from the centre of the tendon.