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Highlights & Basics
- Osgood-Schlatter disease is an overuse syndrome of the pediatric population that results in traction apophysitis of the tibial tubercle.
- Typically occurs during an adolescent growth spurt in young athletes who participate in sports that involve repeated knee flexion and forced extension. Males are affected more often than females.
- Diagnosis is clinical; patients typically present with pain, swelling, warmth, and localized tenderness to palpation over the tibial tubercle.
- Conservative treatment is successful in most patients and consists of activity modification, ice, stretching, and strengthening exercises.
- Plain radiographs of the knee are used to rule out other lesions of the proximal tibia if pain is unilateral and/or severe and persistent.
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Citations
Gholve PA, Scher DM, Khakharia S, et al. Osgood Schlatter syndrome. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2007;19:44-50.[Abstract]
Pihlajamäki HK, Mattila VM, Parviainen M, et al. Long-term outcome of surgical treatment of unresolved Osgood-Schlatter disease in young men. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2009;91:2350-2358.[Abstract]
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