Sinding Larsen Johansson (SLJ) Syndrome: Signs, Symptoms, Treatment- Sports Massage

Sinding Larsen Johansson (SLJ) Syndrome is the name of a group of injuries or bone defects/diseases causing pain in the knee in young children and adolescents.

It is named after the doctors who discovered this condition. Osgood’s Schlatter syndrome has distinct similarity to this condition. It is a chronic overuse type injury in the base of the kneecap.

Sinding Larsen Johansson syndrome commonly affects adolescents and young boys who are physically active during their growth spurts. Adolescents who participate in sports involving running, twisting and jumping such as basketball, football, and gymnastics etc… are more prone to this condition. It results from a mixture of extreme traction or pulling force on patella from patellar tendon in combination with a growth spurt. The condition is also termed as an adolescent equivalent to Jumper’s knee (patellar tendinopathy). Adolescents and young children are affected more easily as their bones, tendons and muscles are still growing and it makes them more vulnerable to this condition. This syndrome often heals on its own once the musculoskeletal system reaches its full maturity.^[1]

• Pain in the anterior portion of the knee.
• Increasing pain during or after physical activity.
• Pain is relieved with rest.
• Patient may limp after any exercise or physical activity.
• Tenderness to touch around the inferior portion of the knee cap.^[2]

• Rest from activities which increase pain.
• Activities which place stress on the patella such as squatting, jumping and hopping should be avoided.
• Cold therapy is beneficial in reducing pain and inflammation.
• Light exercises to stretch the quad help in quad strengthening, but they should be pain-free.
• Sports massage can be done to quads to increase flexibility.
• Sports massage to tendon helps in blood flow. It also breaks down the adhesions.
• Patellar knee brace or taping also helps in pain relief and load reduction.^[3]

References: