Chances are you have never heard of this condition. Yet this form of knee pain is common, especially in children who are going through a growth spurt and play a lot of sport. We see Osgood-Schlatter disease more often in boys (between 10 and 15 years old) and slightly less often in girls (between 8 and 12 years old).
Osgood-Schlatter disease causes pain just below the knee, where the thigh muscle attaches to the shinbone. At that point of the patellar tendon there is a bony bump where the tendon of the thigh muscle attaches, and with Osgood-Schlatter disease this bump can become enlarged. Pressure on this spot can be painful, it can feel warm and fluid can build up. The pain occurs mainly during or just after sport. Kneeling is often painful too. After a few hours’ rest, the pain has usually gone.
Doing a lot of sport during a growth spurt can lead to Osgood-Schlatter disease. Sports in which children do a lot of running and jumping carry a particular risk. Think of running, gymnastics, football, volleyball, basketball or athletics.
It is good to know that the complaints will disappear in any case once the growth plate has closed. For most boys this is at around 17 years of age (for girls it happens a little sooner). But of course you do not want to walk around with knee complaints for that long. So what can you do?
No, you can make an appointment with the osteopath yourself without a referral letter.
The patient can cool the painful area with ice. Stretching the legs and buttocks (thigh muscles and hamstrings) can also reduce the pull of the tendon on the bone.
A physiotherapist will loosen tight muscles around the knee and prescribe strengthening and stretching exercises. It is also often advised to stop sport temporarily or to exercise less intensively. Once the pain has eased, activity can be built up again carefully.
An osteopath looks at the complaint (and the patient) in a different way.
The knee is a complex joint that has to withstand a great deal of force every day. A small abnormality elsewhere in the body can already affect the mobility of the knee. That is why we examine the child from head to toe to see whether there is reduced mobility anywhere in the chain, which may mean, for example, that the pelvis moves less. The muscles that run to the knee are attached here and then pull on the knee. Under load, this puts extra strain on the point where the tendon attaches.
We also ask about other medical complaints, including complaints or health problems from years earlier (such as operations or a serious illness). Diet, tension, stress and any sleep problems are discussed as well. After all, there are many causes that can lead to overload of the knee. The treatment is then directed at the cause of the complaint.
Part of it will of course focus on the knee, but other parts of the body will also be treated, so that all tissues, organs, tendons and muscles move together in a healthy way again. Restrictions are released with gentle manipulations and techniques. This can feel sensitive, but not painful. In this way the pressure is taken off the knee. The body then gets to work on its own recovery.
We regularly refer patients who are open to it to, for example, a dietitian, sports physician, physiotherapist, manual therapist, psychologist, etc. We believe that osteopathy is a complementary treatment that combines well with both conventional and alternative medicine.
Would you like to know more about the treatment of Osgood-Schlatter disease at Osteopathie de Ridder? Or would you like to book an appointment straight away? Click here