Osgood-Schlatter disease is a stress injury to the growth plate of the tibia (leg bone) just below the knee at the tibial tubercle, a bony prominence below the kneecap.
The tibial tubercle is the bony attachment on the tibia for the quadriceps (thigh muscle). Because the growth plate is an area of relative weakness, repetitive stress and exercise can cause injury.
What Is Osgood-Schlatter Disease?
Osgood-Schlatter disease, also called osteochondrosis or apophysitis of the tibial tubercle, affects the developing growth plate at the tibial tubercle.
Repetitive stress and injury can affect development of the bony tubercle and cause pain and tenderness. It is usually a temporary condition and is uncommon after age 16, when growth is complete.
Causes and Risk Factors
Osgood-Schlatter disease results from repetitive stress and injury to the tibial tubercle growth plate while it is still developing during adolescence.
Risk factors include:
- Overzealous conditioning routines involving running, jumping, or jogging
- Being overweight or obese, which places more stress on the tibial tubercle during activity
- Boys between 11 and 18 years old
- Participating on multiple teams at the same time
- Periods of rapid skeletal growth
- Poor physical conditioning
Symptoms
Common signs and symptoms include:
- A tender prominence or bump at the tibial tubercle
- Pain with kneeling
- Pain with activity, especially when straightening the leg against resistance
- Pain with stair climbing, jumping, deep knee bends, or weight-lifting
- Pain after an extended period of vigorous exercise
- In more severe cases, pain during less vigorous activity
Treatment
Initial treatment consists of anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, ice to relieve pain, stretching exercises, and activity modification.
To help control symptoms, activities such as kneeling, jumping, squatting, stair climbing, and running on the affected knee should be restricted as necessary.
An infrapatellar strap, which is worn just below the kneecap, may help relieve symptoms.
Surgery is occasionally necessary after skeletal maturity if an ossicle, or bony fragment, becomes painful. In adults, surgery focuses on removing the painful ossicle and repairing the patellar tendon to relieve symptoms.
Recovery and Outcomes
Mild cases may resolve with a slight reduction in activity, icing, and stretching. Moderate to severe cases may require a significant reduction in activity and, rarely, immobilization.
Potential complications include:
- Persistent pain and symptoms into adulthood due to painful fragmentation of the tibial tubercle, although this is rare
- Permanent prominence or bump below the kneecap
When to See Dr. Chudik
If you are concerned about Osgood-Schlatter disease or your symptoms worsen, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Chudik.
Call 630-324-0402, request an appointment online, or email contactus@chudikmd.com.