Patellar tendon ruptures in weight lifters after local steroid injections.
BACKGROUND
Weight lifting is commonly associated with an increase in knee injury risk. Local steroid injection is thought to be associated with increased risk of spontaneous tendon rupture. The purpose of this report is to describe incidence of rupture of the patellar tendon after receiving multiple local steroid injections in weight lifters.


METHODS
Seven weight lifters presented at the hospital with ruptured patellar tendon. All the patients had a history of multiple local steroid injections into the patellar tendon. Each patient received surgical treatment within 72 h after injury.


RESULTS
After an average follow-up time of 26 months, the mean postoperative Lysholm knee score was 94 and the mean Insall-Salvati measurement was 0.96. All seven athletes returned to weight lifting training at 1 year after the operation. They returned to full competition at 18 months after the surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
For physicians who treat patellar tendonitis, especially in weight lifters, it is important to recognize the contributing factors for tendon rupture especially in those who have had multiple steroid injections. The functional prognosis of the knee improves if the normal length and strength of the injured tendon have been properly restored.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
Shen-Kai
SK
Chen
Cheng-Chang
CC
Lu
Pei-His
PH
Chou
Lan-Yuen
LY
Guo
Wen-Lan
WL
Wu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000293:injuries*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult
D005938:Glucocorticoids