Off-Topic Corrective Exercises for Patellar Tendinitis

[johnmckinzie]

After not hiking for the past couple years, I went on a long hike this past weekend. The hike was 12 miles with 3000ft of ascent and 3000ft of descent and a light pack. I train with an SFG coach a couple times a week as well as play hockey, so my muscle and cardiovascular fatigue was minimal. However, a couple miles into the hike I started to get some knee pain that continued to build to some pretty painful levels. It was almost assuredly patellar tendinitis.

While this might be do to jumping into a long hike after years of not hiking, I also tend not to have many knee issues.
My question is has anyone else experience this and are there corrective exercises that I can do to help prevent this in the future?

 

[Steve Freides]

Many possible causes and many possible things to try. I'd start with your doctor to confirm your self-diagnosis.

While this might be do to jumping into a long hike after years of not hiking

Yes.

Try some stretching. If your knees aren't tracking properly, sometimes a stretch can help, but it's tough to say what - hips, hamstrings, quads. I like the windmill or the 90/90 for this when it happens to me, but that's just me.

-S-

 

[coachnathanwhite]

@johnmckinzie Like any random pain, impossible to guess on categorizing your condition after one event.

Sounds to me like you are fairly active and your knees normally don't bother you so unless the pain returns after normal activity I would say you were a victim of A) an activity that you rarely practice and / or B) your footwear.

 

[Bonkin]

B) your footwear.

As mentioned, it could be many things. My guess is too much, too soon.

When I used to run a lot, any knee soreness was the first indicator it was time for a new pair of shoes.

 

[offwidth]

When I used to run a lot, any knee soreness was the first indicator it was time for a new pair of shoes.

My experience also.
@johnmckinzie ... However... you should probably get a proper medical diagnosis to know for sure. There are many other mechanisms that can cause knee pain other than patellar tendinitis. Meniscus tears, Impingements, etc.
Often times strengthening of the various stabilizers around the knee is prescribed in such cases.