Jacked Athlete Podcast Patellar and Quadriceps Tendons with Rodrigo Scattone
Nov 19, 2025
Rodrigo Scattone, a sports physical therapist and researcher specializing in patellar tendinopathy, shares his insights on tendon health. He emphasizes the critical link between ankle dorsiflexion and knee stress, along with the importance of calf strengthening in rehabilitation. Scattone discusses various loading strategies, including the use of electrical stimulation and the impact of compression versus tension on quadriceps and patellar tendons. He also addresses youth load management and the significance of a well-rounded kinetic chain approach in sports rehabilitation.
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Two Patients Changed His Approach
- Rodrigo described treating two patellar tendinopathy cases differently after seeing one athlete with severe dorsiflexion restriction from ankle sprains.
- He decided kinetic chain issues must be addressed, not just progressive quad loading, to prevent recurrence.
Dorsiflexion Restriction Raises Knee Load
- Limited ankle dorsiflexion causes less knee and hip flexion when landing, raising ground reaction forces.
- Those higher forces shift load into passive tissues like the patellar tendon, increasing overuse risk.
Combine Isometrics With Kinetic Chain Work
- In early patellar tendinopathy rehab, combine quad isometrics with targeted glute and soleus strengthening.
- Teach movement variability in landing to distribute load across joints and avoid repeated tendon overload.