[Diagnosis and management of "jumper's knee"]

Authors deal with a characteristic and frequent sport damage, not yet described in the professional literature of this country. The Syndrome "Jumper's knee" is a collective term comprising the insertiopathies in the knee region, developed in consequence of the overuse of the extensors. During 6 years 385 patients were treated for this problem at the National Institute for Sport Medicine, Department of Sport Surgery and operations were performed in 47 cases. The average age of the patients was 18.9 years, of the patients operated 23.4 years. The most frequent sports were: basket-ball, volley-ball, athletic jumping. Authors stress the importance of ultrasound examination in this disease, otherwise poor in symptoms. The conservative treatment was carried out according to clinical stages and its results are better in early stages, the interval to return to sport was also shorter. The operative procedure was the resection of the apex patellae with the degenerated part of the tendon, having its origin here. Based on 32 control examinations the results can be considered as good and the authors stress the importance of the exact operative indication and the time-sparing technique. Beside describing the possibilities of the prophylaxis authors think the adequate information given to sportsmen and the trainers essential.