title: An exercise-based physical therapy program for patients with patellar tendinopathy after platelet-rich plasma injection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a post platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection, exercise-based physical therapy program, investigate feasibility and report the first results of patellar tendinopathy patients treated with PRP injection combined with the physical therapy program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-series.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PRP injection followed by a physical therapy program seems promising for the treatment of patellar tendinopathy. However, descriptions of physical therapy programs are often limited and incomplete.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patellar tendinopathy patients (six tendons) in the degenerative phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  VISA-P score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Muscle strength, endurance, power and retraining sport-specific function form the basis for the physical therapy program aiming to improve the load capacity of the knee. The program is characterised by gradually increasing intensity and difficulty of exercises. Five of the six tendons showed an improvement of at least 30 points on the VISA-P after 26 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study extensively describes, based on current knowledge, a physical therapy program after PRP injection for patellar tendinopathy patients. The combination treatment reported in this study is feasible and seems to be promising for patients in the late/degenerative phase of patellar tendinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Sports Medicine, University Center for Sport, Exercise and Health, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.van.ark@umcg.nl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Ark
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van den Akker-Scheek
authors.forename: L T B
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zwerver
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000293:injuries*; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D011446:Prospective Studies; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult