Osgood-Schlatter Disease, The Common Cause of Knee Pain in Adolescents but Overlooked Often

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a prevalent cause of teenage knee pain. It refers to inflammation right below the knee, where the kneecap tendon connects to the shinbone. The disease is also known as osteochondrosis, tibial tubercle apophysitis, or traction apophysitis of the tibial tubercle by some doctors. This condition highlights a common cause of front knee pain in young athletes, especially those who participate in sprinting and jumping sports.

10The name is a combination of the names of American orthopedic physician Robert Bayley Osgood and Swiss surgeon Carl B. Schlatter

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of frontal knee pain. It commonly affects children aged 11 to 14 and occurs in late childhood and early adolescence. This is commonly caused by growth spurts, which occur when bones, muscles, tendons, and other structures change rapidly. Males are more likely to sustain this injury.

It is common in youngsters who are very active and sporty. Running and jumping can cause a strain injury where the kneecap joins the shinbone. The growth plate gets damaged in the tibia right below the kneecap, which flares during activity and subsides with rest.

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9What are the symptoms of this condition?

A person with Osgood-Schlatter disease often feels pain during physical activity, notably jogging and jumping. It usually only affects one knee, although it might affect both sometimes. The following are the most prevalent symptoms:

• Frontal knee soreness and pain during activity
• Swelling and pain right below the kneecap
• A bony mass that is tender to the touch

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8Risk factors

Growth plates are seen in the bones of children and adolescents. These are cartilage sections that are softer and more flexible than bone. They are found near the ends of bones and help establish the length and shape of adult bones. Long bones develop via the growth plates.

When a youngster reaches adulthood, these regions harden into solid bone. Before adulthood, these areas are weaker than surrounding structures, such as ligaments and tendons, rendering them more sensitive to injury. Some growth plates, such as those in the knee, act as tendon attachment points. The tibial tubercle is a bony bulge that covers the growth plate at the end of the shinbone or tibia. The kneecap tendon connects to the tibial tubercle.

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