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Common Fencing Injuries: Jumper's Knee
Common Fencing Injuries: Jumper's Knee (by Sportsperformance Physiotherapy)
Fencing has attracted widespread attention in Hong Kong. As we gear up to watch the world's top fencers compete, it's a great time to discuss some common fencing injuries faced by fencers and tips to keep you healthy on the field.
Let's take a look at one of the most common injuries fencers suffer, Jumper's knee.
What is jumper's knee?
Jumper's knee, also known as patellar tendinopathy, is a common overuse injury that affects the patellar tendon.
The patellar tendon is the tendon that connects the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia). It plays a crucial role in the knee joint's function, allowing for extension of the leg and enabling the explosive movements required in sports like fencing.
What causes jumper’s knee?
Jumper's knee is caused by repetitive stress and strain on the patellar tendon, leading to inflammation, degeneration, and pain at the base of the kneecap. This overuse injury is commonly seen in fencing that involves a lot of jumping, lunging, and explosive movements.
The common symptoms of jumper's knee include:
- Pain and tenderness around your patellar tendon
- Swelling
- Pain that is worse with movement that loads the patellar tendon, like jumping, squatting, running, or walking
- Pain when bending or straightening your leg
Tenderness behind the lower part of your kneecap
How to prevent Jumper's knee?
- Gradually increase training volume and intensity: Don't suddenly ramp up your jumping, lunging, or explosive movements. Build up slowly to avoid overloading the patellar tendon.
- Strengthen the leg muscles: Focus on exercises that target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, such as squats, deadlifts, and calf raises. Strong leg muscles help absorb and distribute the forces going through the patellar tendon.
- Improve flexibility: Maintain good mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles through regular stretching and mobility work. Tight muscles can increase strain on the tendon.
- Refine technique: Work on proper landing mechanics and fencing footwork to minimize repetitive stress on the patellar tendon.
- Listen to your body: If you start feeling pain, back off and allow the tendon to recover before ramping up training again.
What can our physiotherapist do to help you?
Physiotherapy may be prescribed to teach you to decrease the stress on the patellar tendon and to alter jumping and running biomechanics. Our physiotherapists may also teach you taping techniques as well as stretching and strengthening exercises for the muscles above the knee.
1. Manual therapy: Hands-on techniques like massage, joint mobilizations, and soft tissue work can help reduce pain and improve mobility.
2. Strengthening exercises: A physiotherapist can prescribe targeted strengthening exercises to address muscle imbalances and improve the load capacity of the tendon. For example, teaching you to perform hamstring curls or deadlift exercises 2-3 times a week will strengthen your hamstring muscles and assist in supporting the knee during those lunging movements. If you develop pain in this area, a simple patella strap can be effective at reducing pain levels.
3. Modalities: Things like ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and taping can help decrease inflammation and pain.
4. Load management: A physio can help you gradually progress your training load to safely build tendon capacity.
5. Rehabilitation plan: They can develop a comprehensive rehab program to address all the contributing factors and guide you back to full training and competition.
However, it is best to seek a full assessment to help understand the root cause of the problem and prevent worsening of the condition.
If you experience any sport-related injuries, you should make an appointment to seek advice from a professional physiotherapist or medical expert to obtain a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
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