Osgood-Schlatter is a common condition in young athletes and growing adolescents that refers to inflammation of a growth plate at the knee. It typically occurs in active teens below the knee where the tendon from the kneecap to the near end of the bone during their growth spurt and resolves after the bone stops growing.
Excessive strain on the developing bone produces pain and swelling. The discomfort often aggravates with activity and improves with rest. Fortunately, the condition is not serious. It is usually only temporary.
What Can Osgood Schlatter Lead To?
Osteochondrosis occurs more commonly in boys than girls, affecting boys between 10 to 15 years and girls between 8 and 13 years. This condition occurs due to stress from heavy activities or sports overloads the tendon where it connects to the bone. Early in the disease the child only feels pain during exercise. Osgood-Schlatter infection can trigger local soreness, swelling, bulging, and seldom calcification. As the disease progresses, pain and swelling are persistent, the knee feels warm, and it is painful to touch.
The cause of Osgood-Schlatter disease is thought to be repetitive, excessive pulling of the knee muscles. Several signs will recede when a teenager achieves the adolescent growth surge, around age 13 for girls and age 15 for boys.1,2
However, if Osgood-Schlatter disease is not allowed to heal properly, it could result in more severe problems. Continued stress on the tibial tubercle from the athletic activity may potentially lead to a break in the tubercle bone. Severe pain may lead to limping. OSD can happen in one or both knees. Thankfully, this is not common.
In several instances of Osgood-Schlatter disorder, easy procedures like rest, over-the-counter drugs, and stretching and strengthening workouts will alleviate pain and enable a coming back to everyday routines. Kids with OSD can typically perform their usual behaviors, involving athletics, as long as The discomfort is not terrible enough to affect with routine.3
Does Osgood Schlatter Lead To Permanent Damage?
Signs of Osgood-Schlatter infection typically disappear when the child stops growing. This is about 6 to 24 months after your child starts having symptoms. Your kid will require to relax or carry out exercises that will not induce knee pain. Your kid will often produce a swelling even after the pain has resolved.
They are generally treated through anti-inflammatory medications, ice packs, muscle strengthening, and stretching exercises and changes in lifestyles.
Osgood-Schlatter is usually a self-limited disease that improves when kids have reached their adult height and usually does not have long-lasting effects. However, sequelae have been reported and include persistent pain and prominence and hyperextension of the knee. The main therapies are pain control and rest.
Usually, Osgood-Schlatter’s disease often not result in permanent damage; nevertheless, this disorder occasionally precedes extra bone development and makes a visible bump where the tendon connects to the bone. Clinical removal of this bump is at times necessary for unrelenting pain after growth is extensive.
If the pain is influencing your ability to perform your activity, hard choices may need to be made about exercise programs and sporting duties. The pain normally persists a few weeks or months. Yet, it can occasionally persist for 18-24 months.
The pain does not typically fully go away up to the end of your growth spurt. Several individuals find that the pain only returns (recurs) when they kneel. If surgery is necessary, the outcome is generally outstanding. Most adolescence with Osgood-Schlatter disorder is cured successfully with non-surgical procedures, and the disorder hardly produces permanent orthopedic problems.4,5
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease (for Parents) – Nemours Kids Health https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osgood-schlatter-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354864
- Osgood-Schlatter disease – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osgood-schlatter-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20354864
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatments https://www.healthline.com/health/osgood-schlatter-disease
- Osgood-Schlatter’s Disease – Children’s Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates, LLP https://www.chortho.com/common-conditions/osgood-schlatters-disease
- “Is Osgood Schlatter going to cause me permanent problems? https://answers.zocdoc.com/details/9092/is-osgood-schlatter-going-to-cause-me-permanent-problems
Also Read:
- Are Knee Braces Of Any Help For Osgood-Schlatter?
- What is Osgood-Schlatter Disease, Know its Symptoms, Treatment
- How Long Does It Take For Osgood Schlatter To Go Away?
- Can Osgood Schlatter Cause Problems Later In Life & Does It Require Surgery?
- Can You Play Sports With Osgood Schlatter Disease & Coping Methods For It?
- Does A Knee Brace Help Osgood Schlatter & Can You Squat When You Have It?
- Is Osgood Schlatter Disease Genetic & Does Osgood Schlatter’s Mean I Am Still Growing?
