Patellatendinopathie ('jumper's knee'); een veelvoorkomende en lastig te behandelen sportblessure

- Patellar tendinopathy is a common and difficult-to-treat overuse injury of the patellar tendon with a very negative impact on the careers of many athletes.

- It appears to involve a failed healing process in the tendon – not inflammation – and has consequences for the treatment strategy.

- Rehabilitation programs are based on the principles of load reduction and an eccentric exercise program to improve muscle-tendon function and optimize the kinetic chain. Prolonged rehabilitation is necessary because of slow tendon recovery.

- Anti-inflammatory treatment is often unsuccessful.

- Surgery does not guarantee a quick symptom-free return to sport at the original level either.

- Extracorporeal shock wave therapy, ultrasound-guided sclerosing of new vessels and tendinous and peritendinous injections of aprotinin and autologous growth factors seem to be promising new treatment options.

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2008;152:1831-7