Treating patellar tendinopathy with Fascial Manipulation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Patellar tendon pain is often linked to quadriceps muscle incoordination.
• This incoordination may stem from abnormal fascial tension in the thigh, according to Fascial Manipulation theory.
• Current treatments may not always address the underlying fascial cause.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of Fascial Manipulation technique in treating patellar tendon pain.
• To determine if treating the quadriceps muscular fascia can alleviate patellar tendon pain.
• To assess pain reduction and short-term outcomes following the intervention.

Main Methods:

• Eighteen patients diagnosed with patellar tendon pain were enrolled.
• The Fascial Manipulation technique was applied to the quadriceps muscle fascia.
• Pain levels were measured using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before treatment, immediately after, and at a 1-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Pre-treatment VAS score was 67.8/100, significantly decreasing to 26.5/100 immediately post-treatment (p<0.0001).
• At 1-month follow-up, pain scores further reduced to 17.2/100, indicating sustained or improved outcomes.
• The study demonstrated a substantial and statistically significant reduction in perceived pain.

Conclusions:

• The patellar tendon may serve as a perceived pain zone, with the actual cause originating elsewhere.
• Treating the muscular fascia of the quadriceps muscle can yield significant improvements in patellar tendon pain.
• Fascial Manipulation offers a promising therapeutic approach for conditions linked to muscular incoordination and fascial dysfunction.