Osgood Schlatters disease is a painful condition affecting
the upper portion of the shin bone, causing pain, inflammation and swelling
just below the knee. Although the condition is not serious and will disappear
in time, it can be extremely painful when affected.
It was named after two physicians in 1903, Dr. Robert Osgood
and Dr. Carl Schlatter, who were responsible for defining the disease.
Young teenagers, in particular boys, are the group most
commonly affected, with those that are heavily involved in sport that includes
running, kicking and jumping, the most susceptible to attacks. These forms of
sport entail forceful and repetitive use of the quadriceps - the muscles to the
front of the thighs.
In some instances, the condition may arise in children that
do not partake in sport, developing for no obvious reason, but overuse of the
quadriceps muscles is considered to be the most common cause of Osgood
Schlatters disease.
The quadriceps muscle straightens the knee by pulling on the
kneecap (patella), which in turn pulls on the patella ligament that is
connected to the top of the shin bone (tibia). If the quadriceps muscles
are overworked, it can cause repeated stress to the connection of the patella
ligament to the tibia. In the cases of people of such a young age, the tibia
will not have finished its growth, and may not be able to cope with this
excessive strain, resulting in inflammation and soreness in the area of the
ligament attachment to the tibia. The pulling ligament may even cause a tiny
piece of bone to be broken off the tibia, in which case, a healing bone
(callus) forms that may result in the development of a hard, bony lump.
The main symptom of Osgood Schlatters disease is pain just
beneath the kneecap, the severity of which is variable. The pain will tend to
be more severe during, and just after physical activity, and reduces with rest.
In general, the pain lasts for several months, but it may continue until growth
has finished, which means that the pain may have to be endured for a few years.
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