Recent media reports said, “C Luo injured his knee at the end of the 2013-14 season and almost missed the Champions League final and later the World Cup. Although he continued to fight and maintain a very high goal scoring rate after his comeback, CR7 confessed that his injury did not heal well and his knee felt painful every day.” What happened to Cairo’s knee? According to 2014 “World Sport” reported that C Luo’s knee existed patellar tendinopathy and greatly affected his sports status. So, what is patellar tendon tendinopathy? 1. What is the patellar tendon? The patellar tendon is an important structure for the body to conduct loads Our knee joint includes bony tissues such as the patella, femur and tibia and muscular tendon tissues. The body’s load is transmitted from the muscles of the thigh to the patella, and through the patellar tendon to the lower leg, resulting in various activities. Therefore, the patellar tendon assumes the role of the top and bottom of the conduction load. Patellar tendinopathy is a degeneration of the patellar tendon caused by overstrain When the knee joint is overstressed, the patellar tendon assumes excessive load, producing chronic strain and structural degeneration at the patellar stop, called patellar tendinopathy. Patellar tendinopathy, also known as “jumper’s knee,” is one of the most common disorders among athletes. It is common in sports that require running, jumping, or half-squatting, such as basketball, soccer, rugby, tennis, fencing, and weightlifting. The most common manifestation is pain in the patellar tendon-patellar joint of the knee joint when running, jumping or squatting during training. The pain can seriously affect the normal training or competition and even the normal life of the affected athlete. The diagnosis of patellar tendinopathy can usually be made by physical examination. In severe advanced cases, MRI can also reveal swelling and even partial rupture of the patellar tendon. MRI shows significant patellar tendon stop degeneration and partial tears in patients with patellar tendinopathy Patellar tendinopathy is not uncommon in soccer. A study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine in 2011 showed that a total of 137 cases of patellar tendinopathy were identified in 51 prominent European soccer clubs (2229 players) followed up between 2001 and 2009, accounting for 1.5% of all injuries. The incidence was 0.12 cases/1000 hours. It affects 2.4% of players per season and has a recurrence rate of up to 20%. Excessive playing time is an obvious risk factor, and body mass index may also have a relationship. There is no doubt that Cairo’s frequent tournaments in the 2013-2014 season were one of the culprits of his patellar tendon tendinopathy. 3. How to effectively treat patellar tendinopathy? For patellar tendinopathy, oral and topical medications do not provide a clear effect. Cold compresses are the first line of treatment for patellar tendinopathy. Applying an ice pack to the front of the knee during acute pain is always the right choice. In addition, reducing the amount of exercise or rest can significantly reduce symptoms. Rehabilitation exercises can also be performed to improve quadriceps flexibility and to strengthen the muscles around the knee, hip abductors and core muscles. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy and eccentric muscle strength training are currently considered the most effective conservative treatments. For patients who fail to respond to long-term treatment, PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections or minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery can be used to cleanse the patellar tendon and promote its recovery with radiofrequency stimulation. Of course, when knee pain occurs, early consultation with a sports medicine professional to obtain a clear diagnosis and proper treatment plan is the most important thing.