Walking, running, jumping, and biking are all activities that we start doing as early as the first year we are born. As we grow we do these activities so often that we rarely ever give it any thought. Over and over again, we walk, run, and play sports and without even realizing it can do damage to the tendons in our knees. The repetitive movements take a toll on the weight bearing joint that makes up the knees.
Most tendon injuries aren’t very serious. Some soreness and swelling can be treated with over the counter anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen and some rest. However, if you notice that your injury doesn’t seem to be getting better then there might be something more going on.
There are a couple of illnesses that can affect the tendons. One is Osgood-Sch-latter disease which occurs when the tendon tears away from the bone. Another is Iliotibial Band syndrome which happens then a part of the tendon covers a bit of the knee cap. Only your doctor can tell if you have one of these problems with the tendons in your knees so it is a good idea to seek treatment if your pain persists.
The good thing is that serious injuries to the tendons in the knees don’t usually happen to most of us. Athletes or young people who run track and field or spend a lot of time in training for a sport are more likely to have tendon trouble. There are so many things that can go wrong with the knees, tendon injuries being only one of them. So seek medical assistance if you have any unusual pain or swelling in the knees.
