What Does Tendinitis in the Knee Feel Like?

If your knee is aching or swollen, you may have tendinitis. To find out, it’s important to see a trained physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician, also known as a physiatrist, so they can help identify the cause and treat your pain.

Patients in Asheville, NC searching for nonsurgical treatments for knee pain can contact board-certified PM&R physician Dr. Christie Lehman at Asheville Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for a diagnosis and explanation of treatment options for knee problems.

Below, we’ll look at some signs that your knee issues may be related to tendinitis.

How do I know if my knee pain is tendinitis?

Many of us have heard the word tendinitis but aren’t sure if it applies to us. Tendinitis in the knee often presents as a dull ache, joint pain, swelling, and tenderness (or some combination of these symptoms). You may also feel pain when jumping, running, walking, or bending and straightening your leg.

While some people fear that knee pain is the price of getting older, there are new, nonsurgical treatments that can give you back your mobility. Dr. Lehman will first examine the knee and ask you questions about your discomfort and any injuries or repetitive movements that may be contributing to your symptoms.

This initial examination will help Dr. Lehman determine if there is an injury to the tendon that connects your kneecap to your shinbone. This is the patellar tendon, and its damage can affect the muscle in the thigh and knee. This is often referred to as patellar tendinitis (or knee tendinitis).

What actions can cause patellar tendinitis?

Running, jumping, and kicking are common actions that can damage the patellar tendon over time. However, tendinitis can be caused by both repetitive movements and sudden trauma.

Knee tendonitis may appear after trauma, such as:

• A car accident

• A sports injury

• A fall

• A sudden blow to the knee or upper thigh

However, over time, tendinitis can appear as a result of repetitive movements from:

• Sitting at a desk and having poor posture

• Sports, such as tennis and golf

• Running and sprinting

• Vigorous exercise

• Weight training

• Gardening

• Activities that involve jumping

Over time, the tendon can become weaker, and it’s hard to predict at what point you’ll start to feel tendonitis. However, continuing these activities without treatment can make them worse and harder to treat.

What is the treatment for knee tendinitis?

The healing regimen and timeline for patellar tendinitis will depend on the extent of the damage, a person’s age, and commitment to a treatment regimen. Some people feel better after physical therapy, heat and ice application, or rest, while others need more intervention from a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor.

At Asheville Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Dr. Christie Lehman treats knee pain caused by tendinitis with a plan customized to each patient. This can include:

• Pain relievers

• Corticosteroids

• Physical therapy

• Regenexx® procedure

Can Regenexx help my knee tendinitis?

Regenexx is a cutting-edge treatment that serves as an alternative to orthopedic surgery and pain medication that uses the body’s own healing abilities to help treat joint, muscle, tendon, bone, and ligament injuries.

During the procedure, a small amount of blood is taken from the arm and put into a machine that separates bone marrow concentrate. This concentrate contains healthy cells that help stimulate the body’s ability to heal and is injected into the site of pain.

With no scarring and a regimen that takes roughly 2 – 8 days and requires little or no downtime, it’s becoming an in-demand option. But only specially trained doctors, like Dr. Lehman, are trained to perform Regenexx.

Alleviate knee pain in Asheville, NC

If you suspect you have knee tendinitis and live in the Asheville, NC area, schedule a consultation with Dr. Christie Lehman at Asheville Regenerative Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.

Dr. Lehman is an expert in treating this pain and can recommend nonsurgical treatment options when appropriate.