Osgood-Schlatter Disease

The expression of "Growing Pains" became all to clear this year with some issues my son began experiencing with his right knee. Being young for his 8^th grade class he was very excited when he finally hit another growth spurt and started to add some much needed height. However with this growth spurt came the consistent aching of joints and constant knee pain. We at first attributed it to adolescent growing pains however after meeting with several medical professionals it led us to another possible condition - Osgood-Schlatter Disease.

During the last summer my son began developing soreness in his right knee while doing summer running with the high school cross country team. This prompted us to seek the advice of the schools athletic trainer to see if he suspected anything beyond typical pains associated with the 4 inches of height he had put on. The subsequent examination prompted the trainer to mention the bump below my son's knee which was a pretty good indictor of something called Osgood-Schlatters. A common condition (up to 1 in 5 kids have various levels of the condition) that affects pre-teen to teenage boys and girls that are involved in sports such as distance running, basketball, football, soccer, gymnastics or volleyball. This prompted additional research for my own personal benefit and mental well being.

My findings:

According to www.familydoctor.org Osgood-Schlatters is an over-use type of condition caused by the larger quadriceps muscles in the leg pulling on the patella tendon, which starts to pull away from the shin bone, causing the noticeable bump just below the knee cap. This in turn causes various levels of pain based on the child's activities. Please note as with any suspected injury, a professional diagnosis by your family doctor is highly recommended. He may in turn refer you to an orthopedic specialist for additional tests since this is a joint injury and he may not be comfortable with treating a sports related injury at this level.

Osgood-Schlatters can be treated several ways by your doctor and you. The most common treatment for injuries is the RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation and is number one recommended treatment for this. This along with an over the counter pain reliever/anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen can often reduce the swelling and pain. (Please consult your doctor for the best treatment options for your child.)

As with my son, after meeting with an orthopedic surgeon and checking for other possible conditions or injuries through the use of an MRI, my son's orthopedic doctor said his level of sports participation depended on his own tolerance for pain. If his pain continued to worsen though, time off from sports would be recommended. Your doctor may suggest a complete stoppage of activities until the condition heals. This stoppage may be several weeks or even months before your child can go back to participating in sports without the pain.

The good news is eventually your son or daughter will "Grow" out of this condition. Just keep a bag of ice handy at home until they do.