Osgood-Schlatter disease
It is an irritation or inflammation of the patellar tendon attachment on the tibial tuberosity. This irritation leads to the development of a small, sensitive bony bump at the tibial tuberosity.
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Synonyms for Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Osgood-Schlatter syndrome
- Jumper's knee
- Apophysitis of the tibial tuberosity
What is Osgood-Schlatter syndrome?
It is an irritation or inflammation of the patellar tendon attachment on the tibial tuberosity. This irritation leads to the development of a small, sensitive bony bump at the tibial tuberosity.
What is the tibial tuberosity?
It is the upper part of the tibia that is more prominent on the front of the bone. It is located about three centimeters below the kneecap. The tibia is the large bone in our leg between the knee and the ankle.
What are the causes of Osgood-Schlatter syndrome?
This syndrome develops when there is repeated overloading of the patellar tendon. There is too much stress on the tibial tuberosity because the bone cannot adapt quickly enough.
In short, it's when the patellar tendon pulls on the tibia more than the tibia can handle. To protect itself, the tibia will react with inflammation.
In young people, because the bones are growing, the bone is less strong than the tendons that attach to the bones. So with repeated knee movements, the tendon pulls on this area of the tibia, which can lead to local inflammation in that area.
Overloading is often associated with sports that include jumping or sprinting such as:
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Athletics (sprints)
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
The syndrome develops more often in young people because their skeleton is still growing. The condition is more common in girls aged 10-12 and boys aged 12-15.
What are the risk factors for developing Osgood-Schlatter syndrome?
Here are some elements that are risk factors:
- Boys are more affected than girls.
- Having a significant and sudden growth spurt.
- Participating in sports with repetitive jumping or sprinting.
What are the symptoms of Osgood-Schlatter syndrome?
The most common symptoms are:
- Pain in the front of the knee.
- Presence of a small, bony bump on the front of the tibia below the knee that is sensitive to the touch.
- The pain is increased by:
- Physical activity such as jumping and running.
- Kneeling.
- Squatting.
- Pain is relieved by rest.
How is Osgood-Schlatter syndrome diagnosed?
Diagnosis is possible based on the history of symptoms and a clinical examination.
When to consult a physiotherapist for Osgood-Schlatter syndrome?
You should consult a physiotherapist if you have symptoms as described above or if your doctor has already ruled out any other cause that may be responsible for your pain.
You do not need to see a doctor before consulting a physiotherapist. If your condition requires you to see a doctor, your physiotherapist will be able to tell you.
What are the physiotherapy treatments for Osgood-Schlatter syndrome?
Your physiotherapist will perform an assessment to determine the cause of your Osgood-Schlatter syndrome by evaluating the following elements:
- Your joint mobility
- The gliding of your nerves
- The quality of your movements
- Your strength and stability
Based on the assessment results, your physiotherapist will:
- Mobilize your knee to reduce pain and improve your movement.
- Give you specific exercises to retrain the control of your knee movements.
- Give you exercises to regain mobility, reduce pain and regain your muscle strength.
- Will teach you how to properly manage your daily activities and hobbies to optimize recovery.
- Give you advice for your posture and movements.
What to do at home for Osgood-Schlatter syndrome?
Temporarily stop doing movements that cause too much pain, and then gradually start doing them again.
Here are some tips that may help:
- Engage in transfer activities that reduce stress on the area, such as swimming or cycling.
If you are a runner, please refer to the blog article on running (link to come) for concrete tips for running.
If you don't see any improvement after 10 days, you should consult a physiotherapist.
To learn more...
You can listen to the podcast created by one of our physiotherapists, Alexis Gougeon.
Episode #1 discusses the prevention and treatment of running injuries.
Find the episode on YouTube:
Click below to listen to episodes on podcast platforms:
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Sources
- Smith JM, Varacallo M. Osgood Schlatter Disease. 2020 Jul 29. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan–. PMID: 28723024.
- Vaishya R, Azizi AT, Agarwal AK, Vijay V. Apophysitis of the tibial tuberosity (Osgood-Schlatter Disease): a review. Cureus. 2016 Sep;8(9).
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