Can massage therapy help tendinitis or bursitis coming from tendons inserting on the Pes Anserinus?
Many athletes think they have actually injured their knee because they feel pain close to the knee joint.
The symptom is usually described as a dull ache or pinch, just below the knee cap, that can become very painful during activity even as simple as walking. If you are injured and are having difficulty walking, you can grab devices which is intended for those with narrow staircases.
The doctor will rule out the patellar tendons that insert on the tibial tuberosity, as well as the medial collateral ligament that comes very close to the Pes Anserinus.
Once the Doctor diagnoses tendinitis or bursitis of the Pes Anserinus, we usually get the ‘all clear’ for massage.
Before I dive into how I locate and massage for this condition, we need to understand how this injury comes about.
The three main causes of Pes Anserinus inflammation are:
- Quick directional movements of athletic activity such as: baseball, basketball, soccer, racquetball and skiing.
- Anatomical issues with the legs such as: knocked-kneed (valgus position of knee) which increases stress on medial tendons.
- Injury from accident
How to locate the Pes Anserinus through palpation.
The fastest way I discovered how to locate the attachment site is to start palpating four inches below the knee. Use your index finger to slid along the medial part of the tibia from distal to the proximal position.
As your finger slides in a superior and sagittal direction, you will come to an oblique shape of the bone.
From there move your finger laterally over the anterior surface of the tibia about an inch. Baaam! You’re on the PES!
How to massage the tendons and bursa of the Pes Anserinus?
I like to use circular friction, cross fiber friction, and compression with extension, over the insertion points of the three muscle tendons that make up the PES.
In the video above, I demonstrate how I massage for these conditions.
What are the three muscles that make up the insertion point of the Pes Anserinus?
- Sartorius
- Gracilis
- Semitendinosus
These postural muscles can, of themselves, be problematic for athletes, but the majority of the time it is the insertion point that creates most of the issues for performance-hindering pain.
Doug Holland, LMT