Jumpers Knee

Hiya I recently went to the physio and found out that I have something called "jumpers knee" he says i need a patella strap (on its way in the post!) but another dimension of it is that there is calf pain and i was wondering what would help this. Will the strap make this go away too? I believe they are both linked or is it a case of stretching and deep heat/ iburprofen?

Many Thanks! 

If a physio has recommended a patella strap then I would assume that the injury is similar if not the same as runner's knee. A patella strap is used to help re-align a straight movement of the patella between the femoral condoyl and stop it pulling to one side causing friction. Its not usually a cure. Didn't the physio recommend any exercises to remedy this as specific quadricep strengthening work is the usual treatment for 'runner's knee?' You should go back and ask about the calf pain, this isn't usually related to runner's knee...if that is the problem as personally I've never heard of 'jumper's knee.'

Jumpers knee and runners knee normally have same symptoms and causes.  These are both said to be 'mechnical' injuries - caused by maltracking of patella as GG said.  In this case, deep heat and ibrufen will NOT cure anything.  They are only dulling the symptoms, while - if you're lucky - the body heals itself.

Strengthening the gluts, vastus medialis and stretching the IT band should help.  As to the calf, it could be caused by running differently while you compensate for the sore knee.  More stretching would be a safe bet!

Reading that back, "if you're lucky" sounded a bit flipant!.  What I meant say was you will not be helping your bodies amazing ability to heal itself by rubbing deep heat into it!