Rehabilitation of Rectus Femoris Tendon Inflammation

The following guidelines are for information purposes only. We recommend seeking professional advice before starting any rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation of rectus femoris inflammation is very similar to rehabilitation of a rupture.

Aims of rehabilitation:

• Decrease pain and inflammation.
• Improve flexibility.
• Strengthen the muscles.
• Return to full fitness.

Reducing pain and inflammation

• Rest. This involve avoiding activities that produce pain. It may be necessary to rest from competition or training for up to 3 weeks for a small (or grade 1 strain), longer for more severe injuries. If pain allows, a lower level of activity such as jogging, cycling or swimming may help prevent the muscle tightening up.
• NSAID's (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) e.g. Ibuprofen can help in reducing inflammation, especially in the early stages. Always consult a doctor before taking medication. Asthmatics should avoid Ibuprofen.
• Apply ice or cold therapy with compression for 20 minutes every 2 hours for the first couple of days. After the initial acute phase if the athlete can move normally without pain then heat may be more benefit in the form of a hot bath or hot water bottle.
• Wear a compression support to help reduce stress on the tendon and retain heat.

Improving flexibility muscle condition

• Stretching exercises may be done from day 1 as long as they can be done without pain. If pain is felt then stop and wait.
• Stretching should be done regularly - at least twice a day in the early stages of rehabilitation (pain free).
• Stretches for all other muscle groups should not be neglected and should continue throughout rehabilitation.

Strengthening the muscle

• Strengthening the muscles is important to avoid re-injury. It is especially important to strengthen the muscles in the same direction / way that they were injured.
• Light strengthening exercises can begin after the acute stage or as soon as pain allows. If they are painful then stop and wait. It may be 5 days before strengthening exercises may be started.
• Exercises may be done on a daily basis in the early stages of rehabilitation and as intensity increases and full activity is regained they may be reduced to 3 times a week.
• Stretching exercises should be continued throughout the strengthening process both before and after a strengthening session.

Return to full activity

• This should be a gradual process. Do not go straight back into sprinting immediately but build up gradually from slow jogging.
• When the athlete can jog for 30 minutes without problems then gradually build up speed.
• An example speed session might be 10 x 50m at 50% effort, day 2, gentle jog, day 3, 10 x 50 m at 70% effort and so on.
• This stage of rehabilitation should also include more functional activities or those specifically related to the athletes sport. For example if your sport involves changing direction at speed then this should be included in the rehabilitation process with a gradual build up.
• Only when the athlete can comfortably manage specific training and speed work should they be returned to competition.
• A return to full activity may take 1 to 2 weeks or longer.