12/11/2025
📢 A biokineticist assists with jumper's knee (patellar tendinopathy) by providing a structured, progressive exercise-based rehabilitation program that focuses on restoring function, managing pain, and building resilience to prevent recurrence.
⭐ Key aspects of their assistance include:
➡️ Comprehensive Assessment
✅ A biokineticist performs a detailed examination to identify the root causes and contributing factors of the injury, which may include muscle imbalances, poor movement mechanics (e.g., running or jumping technique), hip or ankle weakness, or improper training load management.
➡️ Individualized Exercise Programs
✅ Based on the assessment, they create a tailored exercise program with specific exercise variations, dosage (sets, reps, load), and frequency, progressing only when the body is ready for the increased load.
➡️ Progressive Tendon Loading
✅ The core of the treatment is a phased, progressive loading program for the patellar tendon, which helps the tendon build strength and tolerate stress again. This typically involves:
➡️ Isometric Exercises: Initial phase focusing on pain reduction through muscle activation without lengthening or shortening the muscle (e.g., Spanish squats or knee extension holds against a band).
➡️ Isotonic Exercises: Gradual introduction of movements with constant load through a range of motion (e.g., slow-tempo squats, leg presses), often starting with an emphasis on the eccentric phase (muscle lengthening under load).
➡️ Energy-Storing Exercises: Progression to more dynamic, sport-specific movements like plyometrics (e.g., box jumps, hops) and agility drills to prepare the knee for the high impact and rapid energy storage required in jumping sports.