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Tendon rupture of the quadriceps femoris muscle: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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ICD-10 code
S76.1. Injury of quadriceps muscle and its tendon.
What causes a quadriceps tendon rupture?
The cause of a rupture of the quadriceps tendon is a sharp, sudden contraction of the muscle when the limb is fully extended at the knee joint, or, less commonly, direct trauma.
Symptoms of a Quadriceps Tendon Tear
Pain at the site of injury, impairment of the supporting function of the limb, the joint does not close. To maintain support, patients rotate the limb outward as much as possible when moving.
Diagnosis of quadriceps tendon rupture
The anamnesis indicates a corresponding injury.
Inspection and physical examination
The lower third of the thigh is swollen, and on the 2nd or 3rd day, a large bruise appears. Palpation reveals pain and depression at the site of the rupture (usually above the patella). There is no active extension in the knee joint, but passive extension is possible. The patella is located in its usual place, and its downward displacement is noted later.
[ Treatment of quadriceps tendon rupture
Surgical treatment of quadriceps tendon rupture
Treatment of a ruptured quadriceps tendon is surgical. The tendon is sutured and later its plastic surgery is performed. The defect at the site of the rupture is closed with lavsan or preserved tendon, fascia. With such an operation, the muscle tone is not restored, its strength is not fully used. A.F. Krasnov developed a physiological method of tonic automyotenoplasty, which provides for the restoration of the tone of the damaged muscle and the closure of the defect with autotissues. This is achieved by dividing the quadriceps muscle into its constituent parts, performing plastic surgery of the defect with surrounding autotissues and closing them with broad muscles in the form of a frock coat tail.
The limb is immobilized with a circular plaster cast for 6 weeks. Then they begin rehabilitation treatment, but immobilization is continued in the form of a removable plaster splint for another 1 month. Thermal, pain-relieving physiotherapy procedures, therapeutic gymnastics, mechanotherapy are used for a long time, since the injury and surgery contribute to the development of fairly persistent contractures of the knee joint.