Restore strength and movement when a torn or damaged tendon keeps you from training, performing, or staying active. Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stephanie Buza provides individualized tendon repair for knee injuries, helping you work toward the activities you love.
Get Back to Powerful, Controlled Movement
Tendon repair is a surgical procedure used to restore a torn or severely damaged tendon, the strong tissue connecting muscle to bone. During surgery, Dr. Buza brings the injured tendon back together or reattaches it to the bone using sutures and specialized fixation when needed. Restoring this connection allows the muscle and tendon to function together. Rehabilitation then gradually rebuilds your mobility and strength as the repaired tissue heals over time.
Tendon Repairs Treat:
- Complete or partial patellar tendon tears
- Complete or partial quadriceps tendon tears
- Acute tendon ruptures around the knee
- Tendon injuries causing significant weakness
- Loss of active knee extension
- Tendon damage affecting walking or stairs
- Sports-related knee tendon injuries
- Chronic tendon tears requiring surgical repair
Your Tendon Repair Procedure
Your procedure depends on which knee tendon is injured and how severely it is torn. Dr. Buza makes an incision to access the damaged tendon, identifies healthy tissue, and prepares the torn ends for repair. For a complete patellar or quadriceps tendon rupture, strong surgical sutures are placed through the tendon to restore its continuity and proper tension.
If the tendon has pulled away from the kneecap, Dr. Buza may create small bone tunnels or use suture anchors to secure it back to its normal attachment site. The repair is carefully tensioned so the tendon can once again transmit force between your muscles and knee. After the incision is closed, your knee is typically protected in a brace while healing begins. Physical therapy then gradually restores motion before progressing to strengthening and higher-demand activities.
Benefits of Tendon Repairs:
- Restoration of the connection between muscle and bone
- Improved knee strength and function
- Greater ability to straighten and control your knee
- Improved stability during walking and everyday movement
- Repair of severely torn or ruptured tendon tissue
- Restoration of the tendon’s normal attachment when possible
- Rehabilitation tailored to your injury and activity goals
Return to Activity After Tendon Repairs
Your repaired tendon needs protection before it can handle normal loads again. Your knee is protected in a brace for about 6 weeks, with bending gradually increased as healing progresses. Crutches may be needed initially. Physical therapy focuses first on safe mobility and range of motion before progressively rebuilding quadriceps strength.
As strength and control return, you’ll progress from everyday activities to more demanding exercises. Jogging may begin in about 4 to 6 months when you meet appropriate functional milestones, followed by jumping, agility work, and sport-specific drills. Return to unrestricted sports often takes 6 months or longer. Dr. Buza individualizes your timeline based on tendon healing, strength, and the demands of your activity.
Don’t Let an Injury Keep You Sidelined.
Schedule Your Consultation for Tendon Repairs in NYC
Dr. Stephanie Buza is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. Her background as a classically trained ballet dancer gives her a firsthand appreciation for how your tendons support strength, control, and precise movement, and how disruptive an injury can be when your body is central to what you love doing. Schedule your consultation for tendon repair in New York City today.
