Knee Tendon Tears: Quadriceps & Patellar Tendon Treatment in NYC

Tendons connect muscle to bone and can be injured when overstretched or overloaded. At the knee, the quadriceps tendon (above the kneecap) and the patellar tendon (below the kneecap) work together to let you straighten your leg — and both are susceptible to tearing under the right amount of force.

Anyone can injure these tendons, but tears are more common among middle-aged people who play running or jumping sports. Falls, a direct blow to the front of the knee, and landing awkwardly from a jump are common causes of these injuries.

Symptoms and an Important Warning Sign

• A popping or tearing sensation at the front of the knee at the time of injury.
• Pain, swelling, and bruising above or below the kneecap.
• Tenderness and a visible dent or gap at the site of the tear.
• The kneecap sitting higher or lower than normal.

If you cannot straighten your knee or lift your leg straight while lying down, this can be a sign of a complete tendon tear which is a condition that usually needs prompt orthopedic evaluation and often surgical repair within days to a couple of weeks for the best outcome. 

Please seek urgent medical evaluation if you notice this symptom rather than waiting to schedule a routine visit.

How We Diagnose It

We perform a hands-on exam checking your ability to straighten the knee and perform a straight-leg raise, along with checking for a palpable gap in the tendon and kneecap position. Because on-site digital X-ray is available in our office, we can evaluate kneecap positioning at your first visit, and we'll coordinate an urgent MRI referral or orthopedic consultation if your exam suggests a complete tear.

Treatment

Treatment depends entirely on whether the tear is partial or complete:

• Partial tears are often managed conservatively, with bracing or immobilization, rest, and a progressive physical therapy and rehabilitative exercise program to restore strength once the tendon has had time to heal.
• Complete tears generally require surgical repair. If your evaluation points to a complete tear, we'll coordinate a prompt referral to an orthopedic surgeon since timing matters for a good outcome.

Once you're cleared for rehab, whether you had a partial tear managed conservatively or you're recovering after surgery, our team supports your recovery with:

• Guided rehabilitative exercise to rebuild quadriceps strength and knee stability.
• Physical therapy to restore normal gait and range of motion.
• Chiropractic and extremity treatment to address compensatory strain elsewhere in the leg, hip, or back that often develops while favoring the injured knee.
• Medical massage to manage surrounding muscle tension during recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all knee tendon tears need surgery? No, small partial tears are often managed conservatively. But a complete tear, marked by an inability to straighten the knee, usually does need surgical repair.

How fast do I need to be seen if I think I have a complete tear? As soon as possible. Outcomes are best when a complete quadriceps or patellar tendon tear is repaired within days to a couple of weeks of injury.

Can chiropractic care treat a torn tendon directly? No single treatment "repairs" a torn tendon without surgery when the tear is complete. Our role is to help diagnose the injury accurately, guide you to the right next step, and support your recovery with rehab once treatment is underway.

What happens after surgery? We can support your post-surgical rehab with guided exercise and physical therapy once your surgeon clears you to begin.

If you're dealing with knee pain, swelling, or difficulty straightening your leg, don't wait, call us today so we can help determine what's going on and guide you to the right treatment, including physical rehabilitation.