Skip to main content

Orthopaedics · UK

Patellar tendon repair - and the recovery that decides the result.

Repair of a ruptured patellar tendon by a consultant knee surgeon - acute, augmented or revision - with the brace protocol, physiotherapy blocks and return-to-sport testing planned before you ever reach theatre.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private patellar tendon repair costs in the UK.

Indicative package ranges across our partner orthopaedic units.

In short

£6,500–£11,000, home day-case or one night.

Procedure Indicative range
Primary patellar tendon repair (suture anchors or bone tunnels) £6,500–£11,000
Repair with augmentation (autograft or suture tape) £8,500–£13,500
Chronic or revision reconstruction (hamstring or allograft) £10,000–£16,000
MRI knee (pre-operative) £350–£700
Post-operative physiotherapy (per block of 6 sessions) £360–£720
Consultant knee consultation only £200–£350

Prices vary by hospital, by the consultant, and by what the repair needs - augmentation, graft reconstruction and revision cases are always the top of the range. On the NHS this operation is done urgently on the trauma list at no cost; we will say so when that route serves you best.

The problem

A good repair, done fast, with rehab that is actually followed.

Three things decide the outcome after a patellar tendon rupture - timing, technique and rehabilitation. We make sure none of them is left to chance.

  • Timing - days matter

    The tendon ends retract within weeks. Acute repair within a fortnight is a smaller operation with a better result than late reconstruction.

  • Technique - height matters

    The kneecap must end up at the same height as the other side. Over-tightened repairs cause stiffness; loose ones fail. Volume surgeons get this right.

  • Rehab - criteria, not calendars

    The repairs that re-rupture are usually the ones rushed back by dates rather than strength testing. Our rehab plan is written, staged and supervised.

When it helps

When patellar tendon repair is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means an emergency department rather than a private booking.

  • Complete rupture after a jump or stumble

    A pop below the kneecap, sudden giving way and inability to straighten the knee - the classic complete rupture, most common in men aged 30–50.

  • Unable to straight-leg raise

    If you cannot lift the straightened leg off the bed, the extensor mechanism is disrupted - that is a surgical problem, not a sprain.

  • High-riding kneecap on X-ray

    Patella alta on a lateral X-ray means the tendon is no longer holding the kneecap down - a reliable sign of complete rupture.

  • Partial tear failing conservative care

    A partial tear that still hurts and gives way after a proper rehabilitation block may need repair or debridement.

  • Chronic rupture missed at the time

    Ruptures picked up weeks or months later need reconstruction rather than simple repair - a bigger operation, best done by a specialist.

  • Rupture through diseased tendon

    Long-standing patellar tendinopathy, steroid injections into the tendon, diabetes and renal disease all weaken the tendon and raise rupture risk.

  • Re-rupture after previous repair

    A repeat rupture needs revision surgery with augmentation - hamstring graft, allograft or synthetic tape - in experienced hands.

  • Red flag: open wound or loss of circulation

    A rupture with an open wound, a cold foot or absent pulses is an emergency - A&E now, not a private booking.

Procedure options

The repair depends on the tear - and on the tissue.

What each option involves - where the tendon tore, how long ago, and how good the remaining tissue is all shape the operation.

  • Primary end-to-bone repair

    The standard operation for acute rupture at the lower pole of the patella - heavy sutures woven through the tendon and fixed through bone tunnels drilled in the kneecap.

  • Suture-anchor repair

    Small anchors seated in the patella hold the sutures instead of tunnels. Biomechanically comparable, slightly quicker, and avoids drilling across the whole kneecap.

  • Repair with suture-tape augmentation

    A strong internal brace of synthetic tape spanning patella to tibial tubercle offloads the healing repair and can allow earlier motion.

  • Mid-substance repair

    Tears through the middle of the tendon are sutured end to end, usually with augmentation, because mid-substance tissue holds stitches poorly.

  • Chronic reconstruction

    For late-presenting ruptures the tendon has retracted and scarred. Hamstring autograft or allograft rebuilds the extensor mechanism, sometimes staged.

  • Cerclage or McLaughlin protection

    A temporary wire, tape or heavy suture between patella and tibia protects the repair in poor-quality tissue while it heals.

  • Non-operative management

    Genuinely partial tears with an intact straight-leg raise can be braced and rehabilitated - a decision to make with imaging, not by guesswork.

  • Revision surgery

    Failed repairs need revision with augmentation or graft reconstruction, careful patellar-height restoration and slower rehabilitation.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Patellar tendon repair is a reliable operation, but the recovery is long and the details matter. Here is the honest picture.

  • Anaesthetic and hospital stay

    General or spinal anaesthetic in a licensed theatre. Most primary repairs go home the same day or after one night, in a locked hinged brace.

  • Re-rupture

    The complication that matters most - roughly 2–5 percent after primary repair, higher in chronic cases. Protecting the repair early and progressing rehab on criteria, not the calendar, is how the risk is kept down.

  • Stiffness and loss of flexion

    The commonest nuisance problem. Controlled early motion under physiotherapy supervision reduces it; a small number of knees need a later arthroscopic release.

  • Infection, DVT and PE

    Wound infection under 2 percent; deep infection is rare. Clot prophylaxis is standard while you are in the brace. Fever, calf pain or breathlessness need same-day review.

  • Patella baja and altered mechanics

    Over-tightening the repair pulls the kneecap too low, causing pain and stiffness - one reason patellar height is checked on the table against the other side.

  • Quadriceps weakness

    Expect measurable weakness for months. Strength testing - not the calendar - decides when you run and when you return to sport, usually 6–9 months for pivoting sports.

  • Numbness around the scar

    A patch of numbness lateral to the incision is common from small skin-nerve branches and usually shrinks over a year.

  • Hardware irritation

    Cerclage wires or prominent anchors occasionally irritate and are removed once the tendon has healed - a small second procedure.

  • Red flags after surgery

    Fever, spreading redness, the wound opening, a sudden pop with new inability to lift the leg, or calf pain and breathlessness need the same-day team or A&E.

Reading your operation note

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whether it was a simple anchor repair or a graft reconstruction, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant orthopaedic surgeon reviewing a patient’s operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the operation note and the rehab protocol before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Injury, timing and approach

    What ruptured and where, how long after injury the repair was done, and whether it was a primary repair, augmented repair or reconstruction.

  2. 02 Technique

    Fixation and augmentation

    Bone tunnels or anchors, the suture configuration, any tape augmentation or cerclage protection, and the tissue quality the surgeon found.

  3. 03 Findings

    Patellar height and stability on the table

    Whether patellar height was restored against the opposite side, and the range of flexion through which the repair was tested and held.

  4. 04 Impression

    Brace settings and rehab milestones

    Read this first: the brace-unlocking schedule, weight-bearing status, physiotherapy criteria for each phase, and the earliest dates for driving, running and sport.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Acute tendon repair after injury is usually covered by UK health insurers, including the physiotherapy that follows.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about patellar tendon repair.

Quick answers on diagnosis, surgery, the brace, cost and getting back to sport.

  • How do I know if my patellar tendon is ruptured?

    The classic story is a pop below the kneecap during jumping, landing or a stumble, followed by swelling, a kneecap that sits higher than the other side, and - the key test - being unable to lift the straightened leg off the bed. If you cannot straight-leg raise, assume the extensor mechanism is torn until imaging proves otherwise, and be seen urgently.

  • Does a complete rupture always need surgery?

    Almost always, yes. A complete rupture leaves you unable to straighten the knee against gravity, and the tendon ends retract quickly. Repair within about two weeks of injury gives the best results; delay makes the operation bigger and the outcome less predictable. Genuinely partial tears with a preserved straight-leg raise can sometimes be braced and rehabilitated instead.

  • How long is recovery after patellar tendon repair?

    Expect a hinged brace for around six weeks, initially locked straight and progressively unlocked. Desk work is realistic at 2–4 weeks, driving once you can perform an emergency stop (typically 6–8 weeks for a right knee), jogging at about four months, and return to pivoting sport at 6–9 months - decided by strength testing, not the calendar.

  • How much does private patellar tendon repair cost in the UK?

    Roughly £6,500–£11,000 for a primary repair as a package including hospital, surgeon and anaesthetist fees, rising to £8,500–£13,500 with augmentation and £10,000–£16,000 for chronic or revision reconstruction. Physiotherapy afterwards is usually charged separately.

  • Can I have this on the NHS instead?

    Yes - acute patellar tendon rupture is treated as an urgent injury and the NHS repairs it, usually within days via the trauma list. Where private care adds value is choice of a named knee specialist, guaranteed timing if you were injured at an awkward moment, and a structured private rehabilitation programme afterwards. We will tell you honestly if the NHS route serves you just as well.

  • Will my knee be as strong as before?

    Most people return to their previous work and recreational sport, but on average a small quadriceps strength deficit persists at one year, and elite jumping athletes do not always regain their pre-injury level. Committed, criteria-based rehabilitation is the single biggest factor you control - which is why we build the physiotherapy plan into the package from day one.

Related treatments

Looking for something else?