WINS: Presenting A Case of Patellar Tendinopathy Among Female Athletes – A Proposal for Research

Patellar tendinopathy (PT) is a load-related musculoskeletal condition commonly seen in sports that involve repetitive jumping, landing, running, and significant demands on the knee extensor mechanism. Although PT has been studied extensively, much of the existing research has focused on male athletes or mixed-gender populations without separate analysis by sex. As a

Result: , the prevalence, associated factors, clinical characteristics, and rehabilitation needs of female athletes remain poorly understood. This paper reviews the growth of women's participation in sports and their ongoing underrepresentation in sports science and sports medicine research. It then briefly examines female lower-extremity injuries, knee biomechanics, patellar tendon loading, and the current understanding of PT. Special attention is given to the epidemiology of PT, as well as potential intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with the condition, sex-related differences in tendon structure and mechanical loading, clinical diagnosis, imaging techniques, and conservative rehabilitation

Methods: . The literature suggests that PT is multifactorial, meaning that structural tendon abnormalities do not always correlate with pain or clinical symptoms. Additionally, current evidence has not established a consistent risk profile specific to females, and data on female-specific treatment outcomes remain limited. Variations in diagnostic criteria also hinder the comparison of prevalence rates across different studies. These challenges underscore the need for research that explicitly focuses on female athletic populations. The present study

Aims: to propose a research project that will estimate the prevalence of symptoms consistent with probable patellar tendinopathy among female athletes. Additionally, it will examine various factors such as demographics, sports participation, training history, injury history, and female-specific considerations through a cross-sectional questionnaire approach. Authors hope that the

Findings: from this research will provide preliminary evidence to inform future clinical, prospective, preventive, and rehabilitation studies targeting female athletes.