This is interesting. When I see a patient with patellar tendinitis, the usual culprit is overtraining or not changing one’s running shoes often enough and therefore overloading the patellar tendon. The typical treatment is a combination of activity modification and a focus on cross training as well as eccentric strengthening. Eccentric strengthening is the same as “negatives,” it’s step downs instead of step ups.
This article suggests that you can do eccentric cycling instead of just doing eccentric strengthening. It may be easier for patients to alter their cardio to treat their tendinitis rather than have to do specific strengthening exercises and this may boost compliance with exercise regimens.
Read the full article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Photo by Ambitious Studio* – Rick Barrett on Unsplash
