COMMON ADOLESCENT CONDITIONS – PART TWO: KNEE

Part two of load related adolescent conditions focuses on the knee.

Osgood-Schlatters Disease

 What?

An irritation of the insertion of the patella tendon into the tibia. This differs from adult patella tendinopathy due to the immaturity of the adolescent skeleton which means it affects the actively remodelling trabecular metaphyseal bone.

How?

It is usually due to the area’s inability to deal with an increase in activity (particularly activity that uses that area eg running or jumping sports). It can also be related to growth spurts which puts increased tension through the muscles and therefore tendons.

 When?

More common in boys and usually between the ages of 10-15 compared with girls which is usually between the ages of 8-13.

How does it resolve?

Usually self resolves with time (6-24 months) however the reason it’s best to seek treatment/advice is due to the pain that accompanies the condition which can affect sports performance and most importantly day to day activities. 

What is the treatment?

The main focus of treatment is to reduce pain levels. This can be done in a few different ways including:

-       Manual therapy (eg muscle massage)

-       Taping to offload the tendon

-       Exercises to strengthen key areas 

-       Implementation of load management strategies (eg RPE scale)

-       Advice regarding recovery (eg icing)

The main takeaways about the condition are:

-       The adolescent will grow out of it

-       It can still be quite painful so there should be a focus on pain relief

-       Load management with guidance from a physiotherapist can allow the continued participation in sport without compromising day to day function 

If you would like your injury reviewed by one of our physiotherapists, then don’t hesitate to book an appointment. All of our physiotherapists specialise in sport and have had extensive experience with adolescent athletes.