Knee · Sacramento, CA
Jumper’s knee, treated the way the pros treat it.
Jumper’s knee — patellar tendinopathy — is pain at the tendon just below the kneecap, common in basketball, volleyball, and jumping sports. As team physician for the Sacramento Kings, Dr. Jonathan D. Hughes manages this condition at the highest level of basketball, and brings the same evidence-based approach to every patient in Sacramento.
Patellar tendinopathy care
What Dr. Hughes treats.
- Accurate diagnosis: a focused exam and, when needed, ultrasound or MRI to confirm patellar tendinopathy and rule out other causes of anterior knee pain.
- Progressive loading programs: the cornerstone of modern treatment — structured tendon-loading rehabilitation, not just rest, because tendons adapt to load.
- Load management: practical adjustments to training volume and jumping load, the same workload principles used with professional basketball players.
- Surgery as a last resort: for the minority of cases that fail a genuine course of loading rehabilitation, surgical debridement or repair of the degenerative tendon segment can be considered.
What to expect
From evaluation to return.
- Honest timelines: tendinopathy recovery is measured in months of consistent loading work; quick fixes that skip this rarely last, and Dr. Hughes will say so.
- A structured program: clear progression from isometric and heavy slow-resistance work toward energy-storage loading and sport-specific jumping.
- Sport during rehab: many athletes continue modified training during treatment; pain-monitoring rules define what’s safe.
- Objective return criteria: return to full jumping volume is guided by symptom response and strength testing.
Recovery, documented
Rehabilitation protocols you can download.
Dr. Hughes publishes his post-operative protocols so patients and physical therapists can follow the same criteria-based plan used for elite athletes. Protocols related to this area of care:
Common questions
Common questions, answered.
Who treats jumper's knee in Sacramento?
Dr. Jonathan D. Hughes, MD, PhD, treats jumper’s knee (patellar tendinopathy) in Sacramento, California through Sutter Health. As team physician for the Sacramento Kings, he manages patellar tendon problems in professional basketball players and applies the same evidence-based loading protocols with every patient.
Does jumper's knee go away on its own?
Rest alone often calms symptoms temporarily, but the tendon usually remains vulnerable and pain returns with sport. The evidence supports progressive tendon-loading rehabilitation as the primary treatment — it addresses the tendon’s capacity, not just the symptoms.
When does jumper's knee need surgery?
Rarely. Surgery is considered only after a genuine, well-executed loading program — typically several months — has failed to restore function. Most athletes recover without an operation.
Sacramento, California
Start with an evaluation.
Dr. Hughes sees patients through Sutter Health in Sacramento. Whether you have imaging in hand or just a joint that won’t cooperate, a consultation is the first step.
Book a consultation