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Rehabilitation
exercises
When
can I return to my sport or activity?
Alternative
exercises
How
long will the effects of the injury last?
Read
more about bursitis of the kneecap
As an athlete, your number one concern is getting back to full strength
as soon as possible so that you can return to training and competition.
That is why appropriate rehabilitation is extremely important. Rehabilitation
for bursitis of the kneecap often includes the following:
- reduce activity
during the acute phase
- ice injury multiple
times per day
- elevate the affected
leg except when necessary to walk
- use anti-inflammatory
medications such as ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and speed up recovery
Rehabilitation
exercises
Although rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and avoiding the
activity that caused the injury are the main steps for rehabilitating
your bursitis, the following exercises, which place no extreme mechanical
or weight-bearing stress on the knee, patellar tendon, or kneecap and
use full range of knee motion, can be very effective during rehabilitation:
- Knee extension
Use a leg extension resistance training machine. Begin the exercise
seated with the knees at as nearly full flexion as the machine being
used will permit. Start with that amount of resistance which can be
overcome with no pain. Fully extend the knees and hold this position
for 3 to 5 seconds. Slowly return to the beginning position, rest for
5 seconds, then repeat this cycle for a total of 10 times. Increase
resistance from one training session to the next as pain permits.
- Knee flexion
Use a leg flexion resistance training machine. Begin the exercise laying
face downward with the knee as extended as the machine will allow. Start
with an amount of resistance that can be overcome with no pain. Fully
flex the knees and hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Slowly return to the beginning
position and rest for 5 seconds. Repeat this cycle for a total of 10
times. Increase resistance from one training session to the next as
pain permits.
During rehabilitation
from prepatellar bursitis, you'll need to maintain strength of the thigh
muscles. Here's an exercise that does not put undue stress upon the knee:
- Half knee bends
Stand with back flat against a wall, arms at sides, feet at shoulder
width, and heels about a foot from the wall. Allow the knees to bend
slowly, lowering the body weight until the knees are flexed at a 45-degree
angle, or until pain intervenes. Immediately return slowly to the upright
position and rest for 5 seconds. Repeat this cycle for a total of 10
to 15 times.
When can I return
to my sport or activity?
The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity
as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your
injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury
at a different rate. Return to your activity is determined by how soon
your bursitis recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since
your injury occurred.
Generally, full use
of the affected knee should be delayed until all symptoms subside. In
the interim, activities that place no pressure on the knees, such as swimming
or cycling, can maintain cardiovascular fitness. Unfortunately, prepatellar
bursitis caused by infection may result in prolonged absence from activity,
although sometimes, when the most effective antibiotic is applied against
bacterial infection, exactly the opposite could occur.
You may safely return
to your sport or activity when, starting from the top of the list and
progressing to the end, each of the following is true:
- You have full range
of motion in the injured knee compared to the uninjured knee.
- You have full strength
of the injured knee compared to the uninjured knee.
- You can jog straight
ahead without pain or limping.
- You can sprint
straight ahead without pain or limping.
- You can do 45-degree
cuts, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can do 20-yard
figures-of-eight, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can do 90-degree
cuts, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can do 10-yard
figures-of-eight, first at half-speed, then at full-speed.
- You can jump on
both legs without pain and you can jump on the injured leg without pain.
Alternative exercises
During the period when normal training should be avoided, alternative
exercises may be used. These activities should not require any actions
that create or intensify pain at the site of injury. They include:
How long will the
effects of the injury last?
Symptoms may disappear within 10 days or persist for more than two weeks
and recur from time to time. The most rapid recovery is expected when
the condition is due to a single blow to the area that is localized to
the front of the knee.
Prepatellar bursitis
caused by overuse often resolves after two weeks if you refrain from the
activity that caused the problem. If the bursitis is caused by an infection,
recovery may take several weeks, depending on the effectiveness of the
drug treatment.
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