Patellar tendinopathy (PT), often referred to as “jumper’s knee,” is one of the most common overuse injuries in jumping sports, such as basketball and volleyball, with prevalence rates reaching as high as 44%.
Traditional treatments (rest, cryotherapy, NSAIDs) often fall short, especially for elite athletes.
This case study explored a novel combination of stress relaxation loading (long-duration isometric holds) and targeted nutrition (gelatin + vitamin C) to rehabilitate a professional basketball player’s chronic PT.
Does combining isometric stress-relaxation loading and targeted gelatin supplementation improve tendon health and function in a professional basketball player with chronic patellar tendinopathy?
What Did the Researchers Do?
This case study detailed the rehab of a 21-year-old NBA player with ~5 years of knee pain, confirmed patellar tendinopathy via MRI.
Loading Protocol
- Twice per week, year-round.
- Heavy isometric holds using leg extension, leg press (open chain) and Spanish squats (closed chain)
- Progressed from 10s to 30s holds at >80% 1RM over 18 months.
- Total session length ~10 minutes.
Nutrition Protocol
- 15g gelatin + 225mg vitamin C (in orange juice), consumed 1 hour pre-training.
Monitoring
- MRI scans at baseline, 12 months, and 18 months.
- Isometric strength testing.
- Body composition via 7-site skinfolds.
- Pain/tenderness self-reports.
Compliance was >95% both in- and off-season.
What Were the Results?
- Strength Gains
- Isometric hamstring strength ↑ 196%
- Isometric leg extension ↑ 156%
- Isometric leg press ↑ 187.5%
- Body Composition
- Body weight: -2.5kg, primarily from fat (8.4% → 5.9%).
- Pain & Function
- Self-reported pain decreased to 0.
- Athlete played >25 min/game without symptoms.
- MRI Findings
- Significant decrease in reactivity at the inferior patella.
- Tendon thickness at proximal enthesis decreased ~25%.
- Mid-patellar tendon hypertrophied ~10%.
- Independent orthopedic surgeon declared tendon “normal” at 18 months.
What Does This Mean?
- Isometric Stress Relaxation Works: 30-second heavy isometric holds provide enough stress relaxation to load weaker tendon regions, stimulating repair.
- Nutrition Matters: Gelatin + vitamin C before loading likely boosted collagen synthesis, aiding tendon recovery.
- Combination is Key: Neither intervention alone may have been as effective; together they yielded structural, functional, and symptomatic improvements.
Limitations
- Single Case Study: Results may not generalize to all athletes.
- No Control Group: Can’t isolate whether improvements came from isometrics, nutrition, or both.
- Baseline Diet Not Tracked: Nutrition outside of gelatin supplementation was not monitored.
- MRI Variability: Initial scan performed on a different machine (though efforts were made to align cuts).
Coach’s Takeaway
- Incorporate 30s heavy isometric holds (leg extension, leg press, Spanish squat) 2x per week to address patellar tendon pain.
- Pair sessions with 15g gelatin + 225mg vitamin C about 1 hour before training to potentially enhance tendon healing.
- Stress relaxation training is time-efficient (~10 minutes) and feasible even in-season.
- Athlete buy-in is critical: compliance drives results.
I hope this helps,
Ramsey
Reference
Baar, K. (2018). Stress Relaxation and Targeted Nutrition to Treat Patellar Tendinopathy. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
