i've had problems on and off with my knee for the last decade but i've generally managed to crack on as generally it just aches like an old tooth. in the last 12 months the pain has increased and i got tired of getting fobbed of by doctors so i used the private health care through work, saw a consultant, had an MRI and it turns out i have Patellar Tendinitis. i've been given 3 months of physio and then he'll reassess.

i'm waiting on the physio appointment now and i sacked running a few months ago due to the pain but if anyone has had this before should i be sacking x-trainer/spin bike/rowing etc as well? they dont seem to aggrivate it but to be honest it aches pretty much constantly now.

When I was (mis)diagnosed with it I was told to avoid any and all physical activity whatsoever.

How long until Physio?

Tendinitis is inflamation of the tendon. A tendon connects muscle to bone. The Patellar Tendon is actually a Ligament that connects your knee cap (patetta) to your Tibia (shin bone). Everytime your knee bends you will engage your Patellar Tendon. Therefore to reduce inflammation you would be well advised to RICE rest, ice, compress and elevate the affected area. I would say resting as much as possible until your next review, otherwise the benefits of the physio will be negated. I imagine no phys will be a frustration but try and look at the benefits long term.

thursday next wk.

pish. swimming? i've been RICEing it up for years but to no effect in the last twelve months. starting to wish i'd done something about it a bit sooner, say 2002.

If it was me i would stop ALL phys between now and Thursday next week. Havent you asked said Doctor or Physio about your training limitations?

Hopefully physio works out for you. As has been said I'd hold off on all Phys until then.

just called them up after my last post and they said i could train unless i felt it getting aggrivated during the exercise or it increased in pain afterwards, i said that i was mainly experiencing an almost constant low level pain (like toothache) and he said that if it didnt make it worse carry on. so running and rowing are out but i should be okay for the x-trainer.

Like everyone else is saying, keep it low-impact and take it easy. Not quite the same thing, but I had a problem with my knee a little while back. Instead of listening to people who knew better, dickhead over here decided that resting up because of constant low-level pain was something that only a limp-wrist would do and decided to carry on training as normal. All well and good until a week later when my collateral ligament went pop five miles into a tab, crippling me for nearly six months.