Youth athletes who spend a lot of time running, jumping, and playing sports are most susceptible to Jumper's Knee. This condition is a stress reaction of the tibial tuberosity. It causes pain and inflammation on the front side of the knee. Usually, this condition will occur when the athlete has growth spurts. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments struggle to keep up during boney growth spurts.
The patella tendon attaches to a growth center on the front of the lower leg, called the tibial tuberosity. When the quadricep muscles are overly tight, this will create tension through the patella tendon and onto the growth center causing pain and inflammation.
If severe enough, sometimes rest is advised, but it is commonly a condition that an athlete can play with most of the time.
At our chiropractic practice, we take a comprehensive and detailed approach to treating jumper's knee, using a combination of dry needling, trigger point therapy, and soft tissue therapy. When a patient comes to us with jumper's knee, we start with a thorough assessment to understand the extent of the condition and its underlying causes. Dry needling is one of the first techniques we employ. By inserting fine needles into specific areas of the knee and surrounding muscles, we can directly target and alleviate deep-seated muscle tension and inflammation. This method not only provides immediate pain relief but also promotes a healing response within the tissue, enhancing the body's natural repair processes.
Next, we utilize trigger point therapy to address specific areas of muscle tightness and discomfort. Jumper's knee often involves tight, knotted muscles that can refer pain to the knee area. By applying focused pressure to these trigger points, we can release these knots, reduce pain, and restore normal muscle function. This targeted approach helps to break the pain cycle and improve mobility.
In conjunction with these treatments, we incorporate soft tissue therapy, which includes techniques such as deep tissue massage, myofascial release, and stretching. These therapies help improve blood flow to the affected area, enhance flexibility, and reduce overall muscle tension around the knee. By addressing the soft tissues surrounding the knee, we can alleviate stress on the patellar tendon, allowing it to heal more effectively.
My 12 year old has Osgood-Schlatter disease and we were told there is nothing to help other than PT (which we tried), pain relievers (which we tried), and rest (which is heartbreaking for an athlete). His work with her has not only alleviated her pain but helped her to improve as an athlete and stay in the game.He is the best at what he does, is easy to work with, and reasonably priced. I HIGHLY recommend Chiropractic Pain Solutions in Naples, Florida.