Osgood-Schlatter’s disease is a common cause of knee pain in children. It affects the growth plate, called the tibial tubercle, which is located at the front of the knee. This growth plate is the site where the patella tendon attaches to the shinbone. A painful lump can develop at the front of the knee from the patella tendon pulling on this growth plate. The condition is often worse in active children, especially during growth spurts.
Thankfully, this condition will settle down once the child stops growing and the growth plate fully fuses into bone. This usually occurs at the age of 14 for girls and 16 for boys.
Until the growth plate fuses it is important to manage the symptoms in order to improve the pain. Treatment involves a combination of rest and icing to reduce the inflammation. Stretching and strengthening the quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh will also help to reduce how much the patella tendon pulls on the growth plate. Sometimes the child’s foot shape and posture can also cause the knee to be overloaded. If this is the case then appropriate footwear and orthotics may also be beneficial.
