Patellar Tendinopathy Pain Drivers

For patients with patellar tendinopathy, surgery, as a resort after other treatments fail, only brings good results about half the time. Better results have been obtained through ultrasound-guided arthroscopic shaving, which targets regions with nerves outside the tendon. When no intra-tendinous revision surgery is required, rehabilitation can be more aggressive and patients can participate in sports that require full tendon loading. Although the study reported in Medicina had a small sample size of 6, “The results indicate that this tissue might be an additional pain driver in some patients and should be considered in further studies” and “the findings add new information by highlighting the superficial peritendinous tissue as a potential pain driver in a sub-group of patients with deleted word patellar tendinopathy and also superficial tenderness.”

The study concluded, “In conclusion, for patients with chronic painful patellar tendinopathy, in a sub-group of patients suffering from severe tenderness also on the superficial side of the proximal patellar tendon, there are sensory nerves not only on the dorsal side but also on the superficial side of the tendon. The findings can be of importance for pain treatment in patients with chronic painful patellar tendinopathy.”

 

Read the journal article.

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• orthopedics

• research/study

• Surgery