Symptoms

Your child may exhibit the following signs and symptoms:

• Local pain, swelling and tenderness over the front of the knee below the knee cap.

• Pain is experienced during exercise, or with direct pressure on the bump below the knee cap

• Pain when using stairs, squatting and kneeling

• • Increased frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity

• Type of physical activity: e.g. jumping, hiking and kicking.

• Increased body weight or a high

• BMI (body mass index)

• Sudden spikes in load bearing e.g. going from restful holidays to 2-3 sports at school

• Recent growth spurts

• Foot biomechanics can lead to torsional forces on the knee, which may exacerbate symptoms.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Osgood Schlatter’s can be made by podiatrists, doctors and other allied health professionals after a thorough history of the presenting symptoms, the medical and surgical issues, foot wear and daily activities of the child, in addition to a physical examination of the knee, weight and height.

On rare occasions medical imaging may be indicated to rule out other potential causes of the knee pain. We want to rule out a tibial stress fracture. Osgood Schlatter’s does not show up on x-rays because the area is still in the process of changing from cartilage to bone.

Treatment

Most children respond to conservative interventions. However, their symptoms may come and go for 12-24 months before the issues is completely resolved.

• Activity modification or load management using periods of decreased activity to the reduce repetitive over load on the knee to help pain to settle

• Kinesiology Taping to offload the area during exercise

• Icing to reduce inflammation in the area

• Strengthening of the muscles around the knee to help offload the Quadricep muscle and reduce the load on the patella tendon insertion

• Foot posture can be altered with specific footwear and functional foot orthoses if indicated so as to reduce excessive torsional motion in the knee.

Prognosis

Osgood Schlatter's disease is a self limiting Syndrome that effects some children aged 9-16 years of age. Complete recovery can be expected as the tibial growth plate completes the process of ossifying. Discomfort with kneeling may persist for some children, who have an enlarged tibial tuberosity, as a result of the syndrome. The aim of treatment is to manage the symptoms as much as possible until the growth plate ossifies (becomes bone).

Take the first step!