...less medical jargon in a 'Quick Glance' format!
Osgood Schlatters Diseaseis a very common cause of knee pain in children and young athletes. It is a condition where the bony protrusion below the knee becomes inflamed, painful and swollen.
Symptoms:
Swelling at the bony bit at the top of the shin just below the kneecap.
Tenderness and pain on that part of the knee during and after exercise.
Pain when contracting the quadriceps against resistance or when contracting the muscles with the leg straight.
Causes:
The patella tendon inserts at the tibial tuberosity and through overuse can tug away at the bone causing inflammation. It is seen more often in children involved with running and jumping activities which put a much greater strain on the patella tendon. With repeated trauma New bone grows back during the healing which causes a bony lump which is often felt at the tibial tuberosity. It mainly affects boys aged 10 to 16 years old and will clear up when they stop growing and the tendons become stronger, however, it can rarely persist into adulthood.
Treatment:
See a sports injury professional who can make a correct diagnosis to confirm the existance of Osgood Schlatters disease and make sure it is not anything else causing the pain.
Rest. This injury needs rest if it is to heal properly. Only do as much exercise as it will allow without causing pain. Weight bearing exercise will make it worse. Keep your sessions few and high quality rather than train every day.
Apply ice or cold therapy to the knee regularly throughout the day to reduce pain and inflammation and particularly following activity or sport. Ice should be applied at least three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes. Ice massage with an ice cube or a paper / polystyrene cup with water frozen in is a convenient way to apply cold therapy to a specific area such as the patella tendon.
Use a knee support or brace to help reduce the tension on the knee.
