Tendinitis of the Knee Non-Surgical Treatment

Can tendinitis of the knee be treated without surgery?

Knee tendinitis can be difficult to treat because symptoms tend to resolve and recur.  Non-operative treatment of knee tendinitis involves a change in activities to avoid movements that cause knee pain (i.e. jumping, running, etc.). Additionally, using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and inflammation, and physical therapy can help diminish symptoms. When it comes to physical therapy, eccentric squat-based training is a mainstay of treatment and is preferred for the treatment of athletes. In some cases, a knee strap or compression sleeve brace can be beneficial in managing inflammation and pain. A knee strap can help “unload” the insertion of the patellar tendon in cases of patellar tendinitis.

Typically, symptoms will resolve within 2-3 months of conservative, non-surgical treatment. However, when symptoms persist, a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection directly to the affected tendon can also help relieve knee pain and promote healing of the micro-tearing of the tendon. PRP therapy for chronic knee tendinopathy has been shown to provide improved clinical outcomes in almost 77% of patients and allowed them to return to their pre-symptom activity levels in 86% of cases. Moreover, extracorporeal shock wave treatments have also been shown to produce good outcomes in cases of persistent knee tendinopathy.

If your knee pain is resolved with non-operative treatment and you can return to your desired level of activity, then no surgery for knee tendinitis is needed. However, conservative treatment approaches fail in about 10% of athletes and up to 27% of professional athletes choose surgery to relieve chronic symptoms.