Patellar Tendonitis Help!

[Heyimcrazy2]

Hey everybody! I have been searching all over to seek some knowledge on this problem as I just got back from the doctor and have taken X-Rays.

As a little bit of background I'm 20 years old, have had no prior knee problems and have played basketball and sports my whole life.

6 months ago I started to develop intense pain on the medial side of my Tibial Tuberosity. The pain was sharp, intense, and most painful to palpation, jumping, going up stairs...

As an Athletic Training student I figured I must have started to develop either some late-onset Osgood schlatters or Patellar Tendonitis. I stretched and strengthened my legs and the pain slowly subsided to the point that I could play basketball again mostly pain free.

However, around 3 weeks ago I played basketball again for the first time in a little while and the pain came back even worse than the first time. It even affected my sleep and my gait for the first week. The pain has dimmed down some because I have done NO exercise on it. Currently 3 weeks later, I can walk fine and stairs arn't too bad, however, it is still painful to touch and there is noway in hell I could jump on it. I decided to finally see the doctor.

I took X-Rays and they came back negative for Osgood-Schlatters. He determined I most likely have Patellar Tendonitis.

My question is... is it normal to get Patellar Tendonitis on this part of the knee without having pain on the middle part of the tendon or the Patella itself? How serious of a condition am I looking at? And is there a possibility I could have a stress fracture?

I am in need of help as the doctor wasn't too much of one...

I thank anyone for any help you can provide!

[swimmer2010]

It is possible that it's tendonitis, although if just one workout after a long rest period exacerbated it, it might be something more serious. It's possible that there's some sort of tear in the area (anything from tendon, ligament, meniscus). Has it gotten any better?

[Heyimcrazy2]

It is possible that it's tendonitis, although if just one workout after a long rest period exacerbated it, it might be something more serious. It's possible that there's some sort of tear in the area (anything from tendon, ligament, meniscus). Has it gotten any better?

Yes it was just one game of basketball after a few weeks of rest that exacerbated it again. I could hardly walk on that foot for the week after. But it definently wouldn't be a ligament or meniscus... those are actually in the knee itself This is near the top of the tibia by that "bump" the tibial tuberosity. So it would most likely either be Muscle/Tendon/Bone related.

[Harris16]

Im guessing it's tendonitis I have had this for 4 months now it heals extremely slow mine is getting better now. I rested for 2months no activity and now been back to soccer for 2 months. For rehab I do exercises like squat no weights lunges bridges clam those help real well