Osgood Schlatter Disease help?

Question

Its been bothering me for a few years but i can't remember how long. It doesnt hurt, but its just a discomfort below my knee. It has also affected me mentally in a way but not in a crazy way. I feel like the way to make it stop is to do things to hurt it like rubbing it against edges of things like tables or hitting it with my fist. I know i shouldnt do things like that but it bothers me so much. When it stops hurting i usually put ice on it. It sounds crazy but there is nothing else to do.Is there any treatment other than ice?

Answer 1

Hi...

It is not super common, but it occurs most often in young men who are growing quickly. I had it when I was like 14 or so....it HURTS like arthritis, huh?

In case you don't know what it is....it is kind of a seperation of the bone on the anterior tibia, kind of like if you put all your fingers together like praying hands, then pulled one side away a half inch. It is technically not a broken bone, but it is more like a huge chip in the bone...and hurts like that too.

The good things to do for it are: Ice, comfortable rest/elevation, ibuprofen for the inflammation (get with your parents or doctor on that plan). You might also benefit from a knee brace, maybe that one with the knee cap hole.

The things that are NOT good for OS are: hitting it, kneeling on it, running a lot, jumping, doing anything to irritate it or make it hurt.

A sports medicine doctor would recommend you take 2 or 3 months off of PE, not play any strenuous knee sports like basketball, football, tennis, etc. Rest, ice, elevate, and ibuprofen for flare ups. Basically, even though it's not a broken bone, you have to treat it like one so that the bone can fuse again.....if you ignore it and tough it out, then it will continue to hurt and might contribute to weaker knees as an adult.

See if your parents can hook you up with a visit to a Sports Medicine specialist.....Good Luck :)

Answer 2

Osgood Schlatter (O.S) disease is one of the most common causes of knee pain in the adolescent. Consisting of pain and edema of the tibial tubercle (and hence this is an extra-articular disease), OS disease is generally a benign, self-limited knee condition associated with traction apophysitis in adolescent boys and girls. O.S is an inflammation of the patellar tendon, where the knee meets the top of the tibia (shinbone). The conditon is caused by stress on the tendon that attaches the muscle at the front of the thigh to the tibia. Symptoms include swelling and tenderness and usually appear slowly. Histologic studies suggest a traumatic etiology for OS disease. Bone growth is faster than soft tissue growth, which may result in muscle tendon tightness across the joint and loss of flexibility. During periods of rapid growth, stress from contraction of the quadriceps is transmitted through the patellar tendon onto a small portion of the partially developed tibial tuberosity. This may result in a partial avulsion fracture through the ossification center. Eventually, secondary heterotopic bone formation occurs in the tendon near its insertion, producing a visible lump. Approximately 25% of patients have bilateral lesions. Once the diagnosis is made and other pathologies are ruled out, the patient may be discharged with primary care or orthopedic referral. Therapy is conservative. Initial treatment includes the application of ice for 20 minutes every 2-4 hours. Analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) may be given for pain relief and reduction of local inflammation. The patient should avoid pain-producing activities (eg, sports that involve excess amounts of jumping). Use of a knee immobilizer for a few days may improve compliance, especially in more severe cases. Pads or braces also can be used for support. Once the acute symptoms have abated, quadriceps-stretching exercises, including hip extension for a complete stretch of the extensor mechanism, may be performed to reduce tension on the tibial tubercle. Stretching exercises for the hamstrings, which are commonly tight, may also be performed. Refractory cases unresponsive to conservative treatment should be referred to an orthopaedic specialist for possible surgical intervention. However, surgery is rarely needed.
Hope this is informative
Matador 89

Answer 3

Check with your doctor asap. By constantly rubbing it or hitting it, you may be making it worse. OSD usually clears up within a year or so, but by hitting it, you may just be prolonging the healing process.

I know how irritating it can be, and I really feel for you.