Knee injury: Patellar or Quadriceps Tendon overuse

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If anyone has had this injury through Foiling or other activities, I would like to discuss.

My injury for sure occurred during a time of extensive pumping, e-foil and wakeboarding…

I’ve been suffering from this kneecap tendon inflammation since April this year. I’m Currently recovering from a PRP injection which potentially sets me back for another 3 months.

I had MRI and CT scan and all is fine otherwise

It’s hard though …

You can do your daily activities, but as soon you ride a foil, or bike or run, pain comes up and tells you to stop for a couple of days

I’ve had other longterm injuries before, but this one keeps a carrot in front of you…

All suggestions for physical and mental health appreciated :pray:

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do you do any kind of strength training? i started lifting weights regularly a few years ago and it has fixed several ailments.

check out Starting Strength and Barbell Prescription by Mark Rippetoe

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I had patellar tendonitis a few years ago. Constant burning irritated knee.
My quad was super tight tugging on that poor tendon all the time.
Started rolling my quad out with an over inflated basketball / hard medicine ball pausing for 10seconds when I found painful spots. This helped release the tension. then I started to do eccentric body weight squats on an incline/slant board. this really helped bring my knee back to good health

4

I have some pain in the patella as well. What really helps for me is cooling the knee a couple of hours after my sessions. Otherwise I started to pump more with both legs and tried to do more strength training for my legs.

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PRP solved a bicep tendonitis issue I had, hopefully you’ll have the same luck. Just take it really easy on that knee for at least a couple weeks while it’s doing its thing.

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Specific strength and plyometric training and activity/ load management is key for tendinopathies. They can be difficult to manage if it becomes more persistent and longer term
Happy to offer online assessment and rehabilitation if you’d like

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I’ve been working through various tendinitis issues with success after a couple years of trying different (and expensive) treatments. How old are you? If you’re near my age (50) you have changes happening to your body that will result in these types of ailments. Just working out or strengthening may not cut it. I tried PRP and Stem cells in Mexico. Neither worked for me, although they have worked for friends if mine.

The only thing that worked for me was a full peptide regimen. BPC-157 and a couple others recommended by Dr Seeds, the peptide guru. This along with PT weekly on an ongoing basis has given me hope after years of frustration. My understanding on the peptides is they repair cell signaling in the tissue. The repair signal was not getting through. Injecting myself was hard at first but I got over it quickly and now it’s not a big deal.

Good luck.

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Hi Tommy,
I didnt before the injury, I have now during rehab and will continue once I’m post prp recovery,
thx for the referral ill check out Mark Rippetoe

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Thx Seth, just ordered myself some rehab tools as well, roller, bands, balance board

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Hi Whitebelt,
I’m 36 now, havent heard about BPC yet, will let you know how my prp goes, reach out if needed

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adjusting my pumping technique will make a lot of sense, I believe, I switched up some settings and more extensive e-foiling and then the injury happened, thx Nils

1 Like
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I’m really sorry to hear about the ongoing struggle with your knee injury. It’s incredibly frustrating to have an injury that seems to linger and limit your activities, especially when you’re dealing with a setback from a PRP injection.

It’s clear that you’ve been through a lot with this injury, and it’s understandable to feel both physically and mentally worn out by it.

From a physical perspective, it’s important to continue focusing on gentle rehabilitation exercises that don’t exacerbate the pain. Even though your scans are clear, the persistent discomfort indicates that you need to be cautious with your activities.

Working with a physical therapist who can tailor a program to your specific needs might be beneficial. They can help you build strength and flexibility in a way that supports healing without aggravating your condition. Additionally, low-impact activities, like swimming or using a stationary bike with minimal resistance, might provide some relief while keeping you active.

Mentally, it’s tough to stay positive when you’re dealing with chronic pain and setbacks. Finding small victories and celebrating progress, no matter how minor, can help maintain motivation. Setting realistic goals and acknowledging your resilience in facing this challenge can also make a big difference.

It might also be helpful to connect with others who have experienced similar injuries, whether through support groups or online communities. Sharing experiences and strategies with people who understand what you’re going through can provide both comfort and practical advice.

Using a topical pain relief cream like this might offer some temporary relief and help manage the discomfort while you continue your recovery. It can be a useful addition to your overall approach, providing some ease as you work through your rehabilitation.

Remember, healing takes time, and being patient with yourself is crucial. It’s okay to adjust your activities and take things at a pace that allows you to recover without pushing through pain. I hope you find the balance you need and that your recovery progresses smoothly.

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Hi whitebelt, I’m 37 now, rereading your answer, I’m now nursing my other knee while the original knee is still not completely healed, its very tiring … I have had friends recommend me BCP also but no doctors yet, could I ask to reach out to you by call or regular text ? I could use some good advice and mental support
+639176701667 is my whatsap number

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Hey Tom, Sorry to hear about your knee problems. I had a recalcitrant case of patellar tendonitis which started September of 2023 after I ramped up my skiing pre-season workout too quickly. I saw a sports ortho surgeon to confirm. It was at the lower attachment so the pain was below my knee and above my shin.

It eventually cleared up by March of 2024 and has not returned. I did some PT for a while that focused on strengthening my medial glutes and stretching my hamstrings. Not sure if this had much direct affect in healing the tendon, but it certainly did not make it worse.

I think two things contributed to it healing:

  1. I consistently performed single leg eccentric decline squats. Plenty of youtube vids on how to perform those safely and the proper protocol for pat. tendonisis.
  2. Once the ski season started I skied several times per week, but was careful to not let my knee pain go above a 3 out of 10 in pain level. I also used the level of pain the day after activity as a guide to determine if the previous days level of intensity was too much. More pain than before then it was too much…less or equal pain then ok. I think skiing was good because it consists of primarily eccentric loading of the quads which is pretty much the proven protocol for healing this. Pump foiling seems like a similar loading so it may work too. I’m pretty new to foiling in general so take that with a grain of salt.
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Thank you RMP, great to read your experience, will look into your advice and hope to be back on the waters soon also

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Hey Tom, sorry to hear you’ve been dealing with this. I’m an MD pain specialist, happy to help out or share any thoughts if I can. Please feel free to PM.

-Jake

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Every time that I’ve had this kind of injury It has been resolved by a visit to an osteopath/chiropractor. It’s always been an alignment issue for me.