Learn About Osgood-Schlatter Disease
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a painful swelling of the bump on the upper part of the shinbone, just below the knee. This bump is called the anterior tibial tubercle.
Osteochondrosis; Knee pain - Osgood-Schlatter
Osgood-Schlatter disease is thought to be caused by small injuries to the knee area from overuse before the knee is finished growing.
The quadriceps muscle is a large, strong muscle on the front part of the upper leg. When this muscle squeezes (contracts), it straightens the knee. The quadriceps muscle is an important muscle for running, jumping, and climbing.
When the quadriceps muscle is used a lot in sports activities during a child's growth spurt, this area becomes irritated or swollen and causes pain.
It is common in adolescents who play soccer, basketball, and volleyball, and who participate in gymnastics. Osgood-Schlatter disease affects more boys than girls.
The main symptom is painful swelling over a bump on the lower leg bone (shinbone). Symptoms occur in one or both legs.
You may have leg pain or knee pain, which gets worse with running, jumping, and climbing stairs.
The area is tender to pressure, and swelling ranges from mild to severe.
Osgood-Schlatter disease will almost always go away on its own once the child stops growing.
Treatment includes:
- Resting the knee and decreasing activity when symptoms develop
- Putting ice over the painful area 2 to 4 times a day, and after activities
- Taking ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
In many cases, the condition will get better using these methods.
Adolescents may play sports if the activity does not cause too much pain. However, symptoms will get better faster if activity is limited. Sometimes, a child will need to take a break from most or all sports for 2 or more months.
Rarely, a cast or brace may be used to support the leg until it heals if symptoms do not go away. This most often takes 6 to 8 weeks. Crutches may be used for walking to keep weight off the painful leg.
Surgery may be needed in rare cases.
Summit Orthopedics
Michael Anderson, D.O., is an orthopedic surgeon at Summit Orthopedics specializing in foot and ankle care, serving patients in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. He completed a prestigious orthopedic foot and ankle surgery fellowship in New York at the University of Rochester. Dr. Anderson was named a Rising Star by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. “I really enjoy treating patients of all ages and all walks of life. A foot and ankle specialty covers a lot of medical ground, and I enjoy it all,” Dr. Anderson shares. “I like sports. I enjoy helping patients with trauma injuries. And my pediatric patients are such a joy. The most rewarding part of my work is getting my patients back to their lives.”. Dr. Anderson is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osgood-Schlatter Disease. His top areas of expertise are Achilles Tendon Rupture, Osgood-Schlatter Disease, Osteochondritis Dissecans, Flat Feet, and Hip Replacement.
Summit Orthopedics
Tracy Rupke, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon at Summit Orthopedics specializing in foot and ankle care, serving Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area patients. She has a special interest in sports medicine, orthopedic trauma, and reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle. She did a sports medicine fellowship at the University of Ottawa in Canada, and a foot and ankle surgery fellowship at the University of Washington, Seattle. “I am dedicated to providing the best care possible for my patients,” she says. “I love running and understand every patient’s desire to return to their own life and activities.” She provides medical coverage for the U.S. Waterski team and volunteered surgical skills to underserved communities through One World Surgery. Dr. Rupke is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osgood-Schlatter Disease. Her top areas of expertise are Synovial Osteochondromatosis, Achilles Tendon Rupture, Osgood-Schlatter Disease, Osteochondritis Dissecans, and Hip Replacement.
Summit Orthopedics
Samuel Russ, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon at Summit Orthopedics specializing in foot and ankle care, serving Minneapolis/St. Paul patients. He has a special interest in sports-related injuries, arthroscopy, and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. He completed a foot and ankle fellowship at St. Mary’s Orthopedics in Maine. “I try all the things to help people live functional, pain-free lives without surgery first,” Dr. Russ says. “Then, if we determine that the individual requires surgery, I work with the patient to figure out what he or she needs, so that I am not doing too much or too little. I work to individualize the surgical treatment plan.” He volunteers his surgical skills to underserved communities through One World Surgery. Dr. Russ is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Osgood-Schlatter Disease. His top areas of expertise are Flat Feet, Achilles Tendon Rupture, Metatarsalgia, and Osteochondritis Dissecans.
Most cases get better on their own after a few weeks or months. Most cases go away once the child finished growing.
Contact your provider if your child has knee or leg pain, or if pain does not get better with treatment.
The small injuries that may cause this disorder often go unnoticed, so prevention may not be possible. Regular stretching, both before and after exercise and athletics, can help prevent injury.
Summary: CoRDS, or the Coordination of Rare Diseases at Sanford, is based at Sanford Research in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It provides researchers with a centralized, international patient registry for all rare diseases. This program allows patients and researchers to connect as easily as possible to help advance treatments and cures for rare diseases. The CoRDS team works with patient advocacy groups, in...
Published Date: October 20, 2024
Published By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Milewski MD, Wylie J, Nissen CW, Prokop TR. Knee injuries in skeletally immature athletes. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 137.
Sheffer BW. Osteochondrosis or epiphysitis and other miscellaneous affections. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 32.