Quad / Patellar Tendon Repair — Patellar / Quad Tendon Repair

Ortho Utah · Ortho Utah Sports Medicine

Weight-Bearing

WBAT in hinged brace locked in extension; D/C brace at 6-8 wks

Key Restrictions

Brace locked extension x 6-8 wks; no active knee extension x 6 wks; PROM flex guided by op note; quad tendon rupture: usually age >40 (88%); patellar tendon rupture: usually age <40 (avg 28); graft tissue may be added for desired length; in rare cases end-to-end repair performed

Timeline & Phases

3 phases: Phase I (0-6 wks, brace locked ext, PROM per surgeon, quad sets, SLR, hip strengthening), Phase II (6-12 wks, D/C brace, progressive ROM/strengthening, CKC emphasis), Phase III (12+ wks, advanced strengthening, sport-specific, return to function)

Notes

Covers both quad and patellar tendon repair + partial tears; age demographics noted (quad >40, patellar <40); conservative management for small partial tears; graft augmentation and end-to-end variants noted; concise patient-friendly format

Surgeon / Author

Ortho Utah Sports Medicine