Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in adolescents — particularly active teenagers aged 9–16. It causes pain and a bony bump just below the kneecap (at the tibial tuberosity), where the patellar tendon attaches to the shin. It’s a growth-related condition, not a disease in the traditional sense.
Why It Happens
During growth spurts, the bones grow faster than the surrounding muscles and tendons. The patellar tendon attaches to an area of the shin bone (tibial tuberosity) that is still forming cartilage. Repeated pulling from the powerful quadriceps muscle can cause inflammation, micro-avulsions and bony enlargement at this site.
It’s most common in:
- Boys aged 12–15 and girls aged 10–13 (around the peak growth spurt)
- Active adolescents playing football, basketball, netball, gymnastics or athletics
- Those who’ve had a recent growth spurt
Symptoms
- Pain and tenderness directly on the bony bump below the kneecap
- The bump itself may be visibly enlarged and hard
- Pain with kneeling, squatting, running and jumping
- Worsens during activity and after a growth spurt
- Usually improves with rest
Management
Complete rest rarely works and isn’t recommended — most adolescents don’t want to stop sport entirely. Our approach focuses on keeping them active at a tolerable level while managing symptoms.
Load Management
We guide the athlete and family on modifying training — adjusting volumes, avoiding the most provocative activities during flare-ups, and staying active in lower-impact ways.
Stretching and Strengthening
- Quadriceps stretching to reduce tension through the patellar tendon
- Gradual quad and hip strengthening to improve load distribution
- Hamstring flexibility
Symptom Relief
- Ice after activity
- Infrapatellar taping or a patellar tendon strap to reduce pull on the tibial tuberosity
- Padding the bump for contact sport
Education
Understanding that Osgood-Schlatter is self-limiting — it resolves when the growth plate closes — is important for realistic expectations. Some residual bump may remain but is usually painless in adulthood.
