What causes jumper's knee, and why do volleyball, padel and basketball players get it?

The tendon as a spring

When you land from a jump, the patellar tendon stretches and stores energy, then releases it as you push off again. This spring-like loading is far more demanding for the tendon than slow strength work. Tendons adapt to it, but slowly, over weeks and months. Pain develops when the amount, frequency or intensity of that loading rises faster than the tendon can remodel.

Sports and situations that load it most

• Volleyball and basketball, with repeated maximal jumps and landings on hard courts
• Padel, with frequent lunges, short sprints and quick changes of direction, often several matches a week
• Football, especially sprinting, kicking and pre-season fitness blocks
• Gym classes built around box jumps, burpees and jump squats
• Heavy, deep squatting increased too quickly
• A sudden rise in matches, such as tournaments or joining an extra team

Personal factors

Stiff or weak thigh and calf muscles, limited ankle movement, and a landing style that relies heavily on the knee rather than the hip add load to the tendon. Being in a growth phase, carrying extra body weight, and changing to a harder playing surface also contribute. Men and young adult athletes are affected most often, but anyone who jumps regularly can develop it.

Qatar-specific patterns

In Doha, we often see it at the start of the cooler season when outdoor leagues and padel bookings pick up, after intensive pre-season camps, and in people who join high-intensity gym programmes after a quiet summer. Planning a gradual build-up and including tendon-strengthening exercise in the weekly routine helps prevent it. Persistent pain below the kneecap deserves a proper assessment.