Patellar tendinitis is more commonly known as jumper's knee, because it often results from sports that require a lot of jumping, such as basketball and volleyball. The patella tendon is the thick band of tissue that connects the kneecap to the lower leg and aids in knee extension. According to the Mayo Clinic, for most people, treatment of jumper's knee will be conservative in approach.
Hamstring Stretch
Tight hamstring muscles in the back of the thigh may predispose an athlete to runner's knee. To stretch the hamstring muscles, the athlete places the heel of his involved leg on the seat of a chair, with the leg out straight, and slowing lowers his chest down towards the knee. Once a stretch is felt in the back of the leg, the stretch is held for 30 seconds. The hamstring stretch should be repeated on the other leg.
Quadriceps Stretch
The muscles of the front of the thigh, called the quadriceps, are connected to the patella tendon and responsible for extending the leg. The quadriceps and patella tendon can become tight when the patella tendon is injured and should be stretched to maintain their flexibility. To perform the quadriceps stretch, the athlete should position near a wall for balance, bend the involved leg behind and toward the buttock, and grab the foot with the hand on the same side. The stretch can be increased by bringing the foot closer to the buttock and holding for 30 seconds.
Wall Squats
Wall squats are performed to increase the strength of the quadriceps, making them less susceptible to jumper's knee. To perform, the athlete places her feet shoulder-width apart, about one foot from the wall and slides down the wall into a shallow squat. The squat position is held for 5 seconds and then the athlete returns to the starting position, repeating the exercise 10 times. This exercise can be made harder by holding the squat for a longer period of time, or by holding a medicine ball during the squat. Care should be taken that the squat is kept shallow and does not cause any increase in knee pain.
Elastic Tubing
Elastic tubing exercises are an effective method of strengthening all of the leg muscles involved in the jumping motion. The tubing should be secured to a table leg at one end, with a loop tied at the other end. The athlete places his uninvolved leg in the loop of the tubing and repeats each direction of the exercise 25 times. With the involved knee bent slightly, the athlete pulls the tubing straight back away from the table 25 times. This exercise is repeated with the athlete face north, east, south and west. According to the Summit Medical Group, this exercise can be made harder by standing on a pillow with the involved leg.
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