Partial patellar tendon tear.. Rehab, Surgery?

[Petejrrr]

I have recently been diagnosed with a tendon tear in my knee, and more specifically the patellar tendon, the doctor said he does not want to do surgery due to the 6 to 12 month rehab time with this procedure and since it is not completely torn, but without surgery it looks like i will not be 100 percent again and get back my capabilities. since it is not ruptured or completely torn im wondering if i could rehab the tendon and if theres anything i can do to rehab the tendon toward bringing it back to strength without surgery.. basically i was told not to play basketball without a knee brace, refrain from certain excersizes and types of motions or it would get worse and tear completely... basically is there anything i can do to improve it without surgery, is there any way to get it back to 100 percent (with or without surgery) thanks.  also i was told arthoscopic surgery would not be sufficient, open knee surgery would have to be used.

[salahg]

Don't know if this still matters, but I did the open knee surgery and around nine and a half months of rehab to a partially torn patella (25-40%)... the results aren't pretty. I use to play basketball and I haven't regained the mobility, the agility or the stamina I once had. I can't cut, jump or make quick changes of direction anymore. My body isn't at that level. Even my knee feels stiff as hell and its been a two years (and some) since surgery. Its a sacrifice that I'm willing to undergo. But you will NEVER feel the same. Your knees get stiff when standing to long. Sitting in the same position for long brings aches. Bending is limited. Everything I do physically is tiring. The only thing I can do is bike short distances (I have to raise the bike seat super high but at least its something). You should speak with a professional before undergoing anything this serious. And not to just understand the timetable of recovery, but life after the injury. Hope you the best.

[AlSk222]

I had a complete tear of the patellar tendon on June 4.  I had Surgery on June 10. I tore the tendon off the tibia... Pretty brutal. The surgery was 3 hours, they had to put a pin in my tibia while drilling 2 holes in my kneecap.  Then they attached a wire from my kneecap to my tibia.  I am still wearing my brace in full extension but have gotten a 60 degree bend out of my leg.  I am also using the elliptical when I am not in PT. it is exhausting to say the least. My Orthopedist just ok'd me to put a 30 degree flex in the brace in a week. Folks... Stick to the PT regimen. Exercise the knee every day of he week. I wouldn't  wish this I jury on my worst enemy.  The rehab is a long process... Don't know fully how mine will turn out but treat every bit of progress as a win...  

[Chrisj76]

Please let us know what your Ortho says.  I have a partial tear and am waiting to see the Ortho myself.  I'm curious as to what he is going to recommend.  I'm a cop and so I have to be very active.  Honestly I'm hoping for an aggressive approach so that I can return to an active lifestyle.  This was an on the job injury so I'm curious how they will approach this.

[ajwurster]

What did you ever find out?  Or how have you been since 2011?  I have a very similar situation and hoping I can recover without surgery.  Does anyone know if I have a partial tear of 50% off the bone(MRI confirmed), can this heal without surgery?  I can walk normal and lift my leg laying down with no pain, but hurts when I bend my knee from a squatting or lunging position.  Seeing an Ortho Dr. for a recommendation in two days.  Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Airspeed1]

I'm a bit confused why someone would advise a brace for this. The patella tendon is not just a stabilizing tendon like the acl, mcl or pcl. It transmits all of the force from your quads to your tibia. This has to happen to jump, run, or even straighten your leg. When you put maximum force into a jump, all of that force goes through your patella tendon. And if the tendon is week, it tears or ruptures. Rest and rehab will allow any inflammation to subside. A brace may prevent a twisting or lateral force injury but will not prevent the joint from working as designed. A brace will not prevent you from putting enough force through the tendon to cause further damage. Especially a tendon that is already compromised. Your options are, get surgery and hope it helps or, stop jumping and become an outside shooter. I'm currently recovering from my second patella rupture. I recommend you stop jumping. A complete rupture is extremely painful and a long, long recovery. Depending on your line of work and benefits, it could be career threatening.

[Airspeed1]

Shocking. Current medical theory stays away from cortisone injections near the patella tendon. Patella and Achilles tendons that have been exposed to this type of treatment appear to have a higher likelihood of complete ruptures. Or at least that the current theory. They still use injections in other areas but I'm surprised that a doc is still injecting a patella tendon.
I'm not a doc and make no representations as such. But I would question this technique and do your homework.