A athlete’s guide to Osgood-Schlatter Disease
I don’t know about you, but I experienced a variety of knee pain throughout adolescence and sport. For a while, I thought it was growing pain. At one point in my childhood, this likely was the case but growing pain is not always the diagnosis to your pain. I had started to get pain at the top of my shin close to my knee. This pain tended to be sharp during bounding activity and dull/achy afterwards. If this sounds like you or your tiny human, they could be suffering from Osgood-Schlatter disease.
What is Osgood-Schlatter Disease?
Osgood-Schlatter is a disease that causes pain at the top of the shin where the patellar ligament/tendon attaches. The attachment site below the knee gets inflamed and irritated - sometimes to the point where a bump forms on the bone. This disease typically affects athletic adolescent populations - specifically those who participate in activities with a lot of bounding and impact (i.e. running, jumping or kneeling).
Why does Osgood-Schlatter Disease occur?
The quadricep muscles at the front of the thigh attach to the knee cap which in itself attaches to the shin bone via the patellar tendon/ligament. These structures function as a unit in order to eccentrically control knee bending and are essential in knee straightening. During adolescence, bones grow which can put more tension in this system during activities. Oftentimes in youth sport or activity, repetition without adequate recovery occurs. The combination of increased tension and lack of recovery can lead to injury.
How does one treat Osgood-Schlatter Disease?
Whether you coach a sport that predisposes your athletes to this disease or if you are someone who is suffering from this disease, hopefully you find this information helpful. It is important to understand why this disease occurs in order to understand how to treat it. As stated earlier, this disease occurs due to lack of recovery from repeated stress but also an increase in tension placed on the patellar ligament/tendon. With regards to lack of recovery time, it is important to rest the affected tissue. This does not mean plopping yourself down into your beanie chair, turning on your PS-5 and testing the button mashing tolerance of your thumbs. Granted, this is a great pass time activity on a semi-regular basis but is not the be all and end all solution to feeling better.
There are a variety of strategies to rest recovering tissue. One being cross-training and avoiding the aggravating activities that cause impact on the knee. Another strategy involves decreasing the impact on the knee itself by incorporating a landing mat in particular sports or looking into proper footwear. By improving quadricep strength, you will be better able to absorb force more efficiently upon impact and improve the mechanics of your lower extremity.
When considering increased tension as a contributing factor, it is important to consider joint and tissue mobility. Incorporating quadricep stretching and mobility drills can be an effective way to decrease the stress placed on the shin bone and promote recovery. Come work with one of our physiotherapists or chiropractor to properly assess your function and determine the root cause of dysfunction. We have a variety of other treatment strategies such as soft tissue mobilization and functional dry needling that can help you on your road to recovery. Please don’t hesitate to contact us or book an online appointment if this blog was helpful!
Lewis Anderson
Hi there, my name is Lewis! I am one of the physiotherapists here at Movement First Physio and I cannot wait to help you along your journey; whether it be your road to recovery or your path to enhanced performance. My goal is to have you fall in love with movement. Read More →