From the SAYSO Trainer’s Notebook

 

Osgood-Schlatter (disease)

The Osgood-Schlatter "disease" has a fearsome-sounding name but is one of the most common causes of knee pain in young athletes. It causes swelling, pain and tenderness over the shin bone (the tibia), just below the knee. One or both knees may be affected. It occurs primarily in children aged 9-13 who are having growth spurts. Girls are more likely to be affected at the younger ages, as they start attaining adult height earlier than boys.

It is believed that Osgood-Schlatter disease results from the pull of the quadriceps (the large powerful muscles in the front of the thigh.) The quadriceps join with the patellar tendons, which run through the knee and into the tibias to connect them to the knees. When the quadriceps contract, the patellar tendons can start to pull away from the shin bone, causing pain. This problem becomes more noticeable during activities.

Osgood-Schlatter disease usually goes away with time. When your child stops growing, the pain and swelling should go away because the patellar tendons become much stronger. Only very rarely does Osgood-Schlatter disease persist beyond the growing stage.

To treat pain before and after activities, use the "RICE" treatment: rest, ice, compression, and elevation

Pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) before and after practices and games may reduce the pain and swelling.

Your doctor may suggest that your child wear braces that will reduce tension on the patellar tendons and quadriceps. Your doctor may prescribe some exercises such as straight-leg raises, leg curls and quadriceps contractions to do at home or with a physical therapist to strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings. This should help prevent further problems. While your child is recovering, ice should be applied to the area after exercise to prevent pain and swelling.

 

Your doctor may tell your child to cut down on time spent playing until the pain has been gone for two to four months, although soccer players on competitive teams are seldom willing to do this. Usually, a child will just learn to play through the pain, using the RICE approach. However, your child may need to avoid any activity that requires deep knee bending. Your child may also need to run at a slower speed or for a shorter amount of time and jump less often. It may take several weeks or months with reduced activity for the pain to completely stop. When the pain is completely gone, your child may slowly return to his or her previous level of activity.

 

If your child ignores or plays through the pain, the disease could get worse and take longer to treat. Very rarely, your child may need to use crutches for awhile to allow complete healing. In cases such as these, your child's doctor's recommendations should be followed.

 

Osgood-Schlatter is not something that can be significantly improved by buying new footwear, orthotics, heel cups, or ankle braces.

 

Return to Parent's page

Return to SAYSO home