Osgood
Schlatter
Disease
What is it?
Osgood Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in the adolescent athletic population. Osgood Schlatter disease is not a disease and is correctly known as osteochondrosis, tibial tubercle apophysitis, or traction apophysitis of the tibial tubercle. It is an overuse injury with tenderness at the patellar tendon insertion site at the tibial tuberosity. It is specifically sore with palpation of the tibial tuberosity.
It normally occurs in adolescent growth spurts and follows periods of activity causing pain at the front of the knee that may cause the child to limp and stop sport. It impacts both genders and can be seen between the ages of 10 to 15 years for boys and 8 to 13 years for girls.
The condition does resolve over time but can be very limiting for the child as it impacts their involvement in sports and activities.
Risk Factors
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Male and Female gender
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Ages: male 10-15, girls 8-13 years
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Sudden skeletal growth
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Repetitive activities like jumping and sprinting
What treatments can
I do?
Treatment includes relative rest and modification of the activity that can be guided by the level of pain. There is no evidence to suggest that complete rest speeds up recovery, but activity restriction is effective in reducing pain, thus can help in managing the condition. There is a small body of evidence that indicates rehabilitation helps with the correct strengthening assisting in pain reduction and exercise tolerance.
Osgood Schlatter Disease has an excellent prognosis and the condition is self-limiting and can recover in as little as a month. However, sometimes the pain may persist for up to 2 years which is rare if unnoticed or left untreated
Medical management and common interventions to help can be.
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Icing
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Exercise modification
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Taping or a tendon strap
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Stretching may give some relief
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Strength exercises
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