This condition usually presents with pain and tenderness felt within this region. Most commonly, Osgood-Schlatter disease is seen in young, adolescent males.
Intense knee pain is usually the presenting symptom, occurring during activities such as running, jumping, squatting and especially ascending or descending stairs and during kneeling. The pain can be reproduced by extending the knee against resistance, stressing the quadriceps, or striking the knee.
The general consensus of research indicates that stress placed on the bone from the recurrent pulling tension of the quadriceps muscle on the kneecap tendon during different activities leads to the development of this disease. The irritation of this pulling can cause local pain, inflammation, swelling, and calcification of the tendon that is visible with an x-ray examination. Sometimes a tiny piece of the bone of the tibia is actually pulled away by the inflamed tendon.
Osgood-Schlatter disorder can be diagnosed clinically based on symptoms and on physical examination findings, however x-ray investigation can provide confirmation of the disorder. A minority of people have evidence of Osgood-Schlatter disease on x-ray with no apparent symptoms.
About 90% of patients respond well to non-operative treatment that includes rest from aggravating activity, icing after activity, activity modification and rehabilitation exercises, all of which can be given and advised by musculoskeletal specialists such as Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Physiotherapists. It should not be necessary to stop all exercise since children can be disheartened by this unnecessary approach.
