Patellar Tendinopathy Exercises for Athletes

Your home program

Build strength before progressing to jumping.

Do not begin every exercise at full volume. Start with the isometric plus two slow strength movements. Add low-level jumping only after slow loading is controlled, baseline symptoms are stable, and there is at least forty-eight hours between early high tendon-load sessions.

Frequency

Strength 3 days per week; jumping initially 2 days per week

Equipment

Strong strap or wall, chair, backpack or weights, optional band or gym equipment

First checkpoint

Adjust at 4 to 6 weeks; judge the strength trial near 12 weeks

Primary goal

Jumping, landing, sprinting, deceleration, and full training capacity

1. 01
   Exercise 1

   Spanish squat or wall-sit isometric

   Daily when useful or before training

   Dose5 holds of 30 to 45 seconds with 1 to 2 minutes of rest

   Sit back against a strong strap behind the knees or use a wall sit. Keep the trunk tall and hold at a tolerable knee angle.

   Make it easier

   Use a shorter hold, shallower knee angle, or bilateral wall sit.

   Progress it

   Increase hold time, knee angle, or resistance without worsening the next-morning tendon test.

   My starting dose or notes

2. 02
   Exercise 2

   Slow squat or leg press

   3 nonconsecutive days per week

   DoseStart with 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions

   Lower for about 3 seconds and rise for about 3 seconds through a tolerable range. Keep the knee tracking over the middle toes.

   Make it easier

   Use a bilateral box squat, shallower range, or lighter load.

   Progress it

   Increase load while moving gradually toward 4 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions.

   My starting dose or notes

3. 03
   Exercise 3

   Slow split squat

   2 to 3 days per week

   Dose3 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions per side

   Keep the front foot grounded and lower slowly with the knee tracking over the middle toes. Use support if needed for balance.

   Make it easier

   Use a shorter depth, hand support, or more assistance from the back leg.

   Progress it

   Add range, backpack or dumbbell load, then emphasize the front leg.

   My starting dose or notes

4. 04
   Exercise 4

   Resisted knee extension

   2 to 3 days per week

   Dose3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions

   Use a band, ankle weight, or machine. Straighten and lower the knee slowly without snapping into extension.

   Make it easier

   Use lighter resistance or a shorter tolerable arc.

   Progress it

   Increase resistance and work gradually toward a heavier 6 to 8 repetition range.

   My starting dose or notes

5. 05
   Exercise 5

   Landing drill to low pogo jumps

   2 days per week with at least 48 hours between sessions

   DoseBegin with 2 to 3 sets of 10 controlled contacts

   Start with a quiet landing and hold. Progress to small, quick bilateral pogo jumps while maintaining alignment and a spring-like ankle and knee strategy.

   Make it easier

   Practice a landing without a rebound jump.

   Progress it

   Add rebound speed, then height, then single-leg or multidirectional contacts. Change only one variable per session.

   My starting dose or notes

6. 06
   Exercise 6

   Sport-specific jump and acceleration exposure

   1 to 2 days per week after low-level jumping is tolerated

   DoseBegin with 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 high-quality efforts

   Select a jump, landing, sprint, or deceleration pattern required by the sport. Track the number, intensity, surface, and next-morning response.

   Make it easier

   Reduce speed, height, approach distance, or total efforts.

   Progress it

   Increase either intensity or volume, one variable at a time, then build repeated efforts and reduce the rest between efforts gradually.

   My starting dose or notes

Symptom response

Let the next day guide the dose.

A repeatable load test, such as a decline squat, can help track the tendon. Mild pain can be acceptable when movement stays normal and the tendon returns to its usual baseline by the next morning.

Progression

Build capacity in stages.

1. Stage 1: control sudden increases in load

   Reduce the most provocative jump, sprint, or competition volume while maintaining tolerable conditioning and skill work.

2. Stage 2: build slow strength

   Progress from isometrics to slow controlled strength exercises. Over time the exercises should become meaningfully heavy while the tendon returns to its usual baseline by the next day.

3. Stage 3: restore jumping and other fast loading

   Add landings, pogo jumps, hops, accelerations, and decelerations with planned repetition counts and recovery days.

4. Stage 4: return to sport and performance

   Progress from individual drills to partial training, full training, competition, and then the workload needed for performance.

Signs you are ready for the next stage

• The repeatable tendon load test stays near 2 to 3 out of 10 or less.
• High-intensity loading returns to baseline by the next morning.
• The knee has full motion without swelling or a limp.
• Quadriceps strength and hop or jump capacity are approaching the other side and relevant sport benchmarks, often using 90 percent as one part of the decision, with acceptable movement quality. Symmetry alone can be misleading when both sides are deconditioned.
• Repeated full training sessions are tolerated without limping, avoiding the involved leg, or changing movement.