Osgood-Schlatters disease (OSD) was named after Robert Osgood and Carl Schlatter, two surgeons who concurrently described the condition as anterior knee pain in active adolescents in 1903.
OSD is a common condition in younger athletes and usually coincides with periods of rapid growth spurts. Symptoms usually include knee pain in one or both knees, localised to the bony aspect just below the knee cap known as the tibial tuberosity. OSD more commonly presents in boys aged 10-15 years but it can occur in girls too and it is more likely to occur with participation in large volumes of high impact sports such as running and jumping.
So, what can we do about it?
Immediately after inflammation or pain occurs, ice the area. This may help settle down any inflammation and reduce pain. Once assessed, we would look at modifying your training load and . This is extremely individualised and might involve dropping one or two sessions of training per week to begin with.
Then it is important to address any predisposing or contributing factors, which can include addressing biomechanical/muscle imbalances particularly in the hips and feet. Taping the area might also help relieve symptoms, and it is important to avoid static quad stretching which can aggravate the pain.
If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort similar to what we’ve described, get in touch with Powerhouse Physio to see how we can tailor a treatment plan for you.