Patellar Tendon Rupture & Quadriceps Tendon Rupture

Patients who experience a knee tendon rupture will typically have a painful, swollen knee shortly after the traumatic event. Most describe a painful “pop” during the injury and are unable to ambulate after. Some patients may also have difficulty straightening the leg and functioning while walking or standing.

During a consultation with Dr. Waterman, he will perform a thorough physical examination, including a straight leg test, to look for a tendon gap. The tendon gap may appear just above the kneecap in a quadriceps tendon rupture or below the kneecap in a patellar tendon rupture. X-rays and an MRI are also performed in most cases to rule out fractures, evaluate ligament damage and confirm the diagnosis.

Dr.Waterman will determine the appropriate treatment depending on the type and size of tendon tear, patient’s age and patient’s activity level. If a tendon tear is left untreated, it commonly leads to chronic knee weakness and stiffness.

Non-Surgical

Very small, partial tears may respond well to non-surgical measures such as knee immobilization with a brace and a physical therapy recovery program.

Surgical

Most patellar tendon ruptures and quadriceps tendon ruptures require surgery to regain full leg function. During a surgical repair, Dr. Waterman will sew the ends of the torn tendon to secure them and then reinforce the repair by bringing sutures through the patella bone. After surgery, it typically takes 6-8 weeks for the tendon tear to heal. Post-operative therapy is used to allow patients to regain range of motion, strength and function. Patients will require a brace for the first six weeks after surgery to protect the repair, and are generally ambulating normally without a brace or crutches after 8 weeks. Most patients return to athletics or sports participation approximately six months after repair.