How can I prevent jumper's knee, or stop it coming back?

What usually triggers it

The patellar tendon tolerates high loads, but it adapts over weeks to months rather than days. Problems commonly follow:

• A sudden increase in jumping, for example a tournament, a new team or pre-season
• Changing to a harder court surface
• Adding plyometrics or box jumps to a gym programme too quickly
• Returning after a long break, such as the summer or Ramadan, at full intensity
• Dropping strength work once the season starts

Keep the tendon strong

Two sessions a week of slow, heavy leg exercises, such as leg press, split squats, squats and calf raises, help the tendon cope with jumping. In-season, keeping one session a week is better than none. Young athletes should be supervised and progress load gradually.

Watch for early warning signs

The earliest sign is often stiffness or pain just below the kneecap first thing in the morning or at the start of training, which then warms up. Acting at this stage, by trimming jumping volume for a week or two while keeping strength work, usually settles it quickly. Ignoring it until it hurts during play makes recovery much longer.

Plan the week and the season

Spread high-jumping sessions with lighter days in between, avoid stacking matches and intense training on consecutive days, and increase total jumping volume gradually. If you play padel or basketball in Doha's summer, indoor or evening sessions keep you training consistently without sudden catch-up weeks. If pain persists beyond a few weeks despite changes, see Dr. Gelber at Aman Hospital for assessment.