Just like in Sever’s, to explain how Osgood Schlatter’s is caused, we must first explain that while bones are growing, they have areas called ‘growth plates’. Growth plates are vulnerable, cartilaginous areas located towards the ends of growing bones. It’s here that new bone is added, and will eventually turn into solid bone when we reach full maturity.
The painful symptoms of Osgood Schlatter’s Disease are caused by abnormal tension and forces at the top of the knee that irritate or damage the growth plate just below the knee. Damage occurs because the growth plate is vulnerable as it’s still developing and is not yet solid like the surrounding bone, so is unable to withstand the tensile forces or high load that it can be exposed to.
This is often thought to be caused by the repetitive pull from the quadriceps on the top of the shin bone (tibia), where it inserts after crossing the knee as the patellar tendon. Other contributing factors may include:
While mild cases of Osgood Schlatter Disease may resolve fairly quickly, others may suffer from painful symptoms for years. Treatment starts with first alleviating the pain, and then addressing the cause of the problem to stop the symptoms returning. This may include:
The treatment plan we prescribe is completely tailored to your child’s symptoms and the results of their comprehensive biomechanical examination. This helps us identify the often multiple causes of the pulling force, and hence the best way to help alleviate their painful symptoms. Despite the pain being located just below the knees, even the position and alignment of the feet can have a big impact on the severity of the symptoms.
