Throughout history, orthopedics has rewarded some of its original “describers/discoverers of a disease” by naming the disease after them. This was the case for Osgood-Schlatter disease. The original describers were two physicians, Robert Bayley Osgood and Carl Schlatter. Their names were attached to one another, using a hyphenated eponym, concerning this overuse injury of the tibial tubercle in adolescents.
Though it is called a "disease," Osgood-Schlatter is not an infection or illness, but rather a temporary condition caused by repetitive stress on a growing body. It is one of the most common causes of knee pain in adolescents, particularly those involved in sports between the ages of 10-15 years-old.
Osgood-Schlatter is noticeable due to a bump on the upper part of the shinbone where the patellar tendon attaches. Some kids joke there is a tennis ball growing inside their knee. The condition causes pain, swelling, and tenderness in the knee, especially during or after physical activity.
It is seen most often during growth spurts when bones are rapidly lengthening. It is more common in boys, though it increasingly affects girls as sports participation grows. Adolescents at risk for Osgood-Schlatter include young people involved in high levels of physical activity, especially sports with frequent running, jumping, or quick directional changes (e.g., soccer, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics).
However, others may experience Osgood-Schlatter due to tight quadriceps or hamstrings, which increase tension on the patellar tendon; poor flexibility or muscle imbalances or have a family history of musculoskeletal conditions.
When a child grows quickly, the bones lengthen faster than the surrounding muscles and tendons can stretch. The patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap to the shinbone, pulls on the tibial growth plate during physical activity. The repeated pulling can cause: microtrauma to the growth plate, inflammation and swelling, a painful bump (tibial tuberosity enlargement) that may persist even after symptoms resolve.
The good news is the condition is self-limited and typically resolves once the growth plate closes following adolescence, however, your son/daughter may complain based on these common signs and
