The importance of knee mobility and balance cannot be overestimated in the athlete who requires to maneouvre rapidly between opponents, pivoting and cutting across the sporting field. All too frequently, a seemingly innocuous fall or twisting injury may result in complete disruption of the most important stabilizer of the knee, the Anterior Cruciate ligament tear. Many ACL injuries are unfortunately associated with other injuries, such as tears of the cartilage lining the joint, as well as special cartilaginous structures known as menisci and other ligament tears. Very rarely, all ligaments may be torn, leading to dislocation. These injuries are best assessed with MRI scan and may also require CT, if there severe injury with fracture.

Degeneration of tendons (tendinosis) in front of the knee joint, also known as “jumper’s knee” involves the patellar tendon and occurs in association with patellar maltracking, quadriceps tendinosis and early arthritis of the patellofemoral joint. 

The patellar tendon may be injected with blood (autologous blood injection and platelet rich plasma) or  dry needling .

Ultrasound is useful for the assessment of patellar and quadriceps tendons and other soft tissue lumps and bumps. It is also very useful in guiding injection to the precise site, safely and accurately