What is Osgood Schlatters' Disease?
Osgood Schlatter’s Disease is a condition that causes pain at the front of the knee with activity. As an illustration, these activities involve sports, running, jumping, going down stairs, and squatting. It affects youth athletes, both boys and girls, aged 8-15 during or after growth spurts.
The hallmark sign is a “painful bump” at the front of the knee, and the medical term is tibial tubercle apophysitis. The words Tibial Tubercle and Apophysitis are medical terms when combined together mean inflammation at a growth plate. Therefore, most youth athletes will have a bump at the tibial tubercle where the patellar tendon inserts.
What Causes Osgood Schlatters' Disease?
Osgood Schlatter’s Disease is caused by inflammation from repeated stress of the quadriceps muscle on the epiphyseal cartilage, or growth plate, of the tibial tubercle. In other words, when the body is growing, the bones are growing at a faster rate than the muscles and tendons. As a result, this leads to increased pulling on the tibial tubercle. It affects growing youth athletes the most because of their growth spurts. Moreover, the stress from the quadriceps is why it is common among sports involving a lot of running or jumping, such as basketball, volleyball, football and soccer.
Common Signs & Symptoms
1. Painful Bump at Tibial Tubercle
2. Pain with Sporting Activities
Running, Jumping, Cutting, and Landing
3. Pain with Stairs & Squatting
4. Pain with Prolonged Periods of Sitting
Common Risk Factors:
1. Early Sports Specialization
Choosing to play only one sport at a young age year-round.
2. Recent Growth Spurt
3. Participation in Sports Involving Running & Jumping
4. Girls Aged 8-13 Years Old
5. Boys Aged 10-15 Years Old
What Can You Do to Overcome Osgood Schlatters' Disease?
Ultimately, there are numerous things you can do to take control of this condition. Stay tuned for our next blog post to go over key impairments you need to address. In the meantime, check out..
It includes a 5-day workout week, over 100 video-instructed exercises a week program designed to help manage your symptoms and optimize your recovery!
Take a Look at our YouTube Video
Sources
Ladenhauf HN, Seitlinger G, Green DW. Osgood-Schlatter disease: a 2020 update of a common knee condition in children. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2020 Feb;32(1):107-112. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000842. PMID: 31714260.
Neuhaus C, Appenzeller-Herzog C, Faude O. A systematic review on conservative treatment options for OSGOOD-Schlatter disease. Phys Ther Sport. 2021 May;49:178-187. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2021.03.002. Epub 2021 Mar 9. PMID: 33744766.
Dr. Gabriel Ignacio PT, DPT, OCS, TPI
Dr. Marco Lopez PT, DPT, CSCS
Medical Disclaimer:
The Basketball Doctors assume no responsibility or liability for any injury, loss, or damage incurred as a result of any use or reliance upon the information and material contained within or downloaded from its website. The Basketball Doctors are unable to provide any warranty concerning the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein. The information provided in the videos are by no means complete or exhaustive, and, therefore, does not apply to all conditions, disorders, and health-related issues. The information is not intended to be physical therapy, medicaladvice, or treatment. Any reference to or mention of any particular diagnoses or dysfunctions is intended for informational purposes only and not an attempt to diagnose your particular problems.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers before starting any new treatment or discontinuing an existing treatment. Talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard your doctor’s medical advice or delay in seeking it as a result of something on this site. Reliance on any information provided by The Basketball Doctors is solely at your own risk.
