Osgood Schlatter's Disease

I am a teenager who suffered from Osgood Schlatter's disease (OSD) before. Osgood Schlatter's disease occurs when the tibial tubercle ( which is the bony attachment just below the kneecap) becomes painful, swollen or inflamed.

What causes OSD?

OSD happens when the patella or kneecap tendon gets inflamed (tendinitis). Stress resulting from contraction of the quadriceps is transmitted via the patella tendon to the tibial tubercle. People who suffer from this overuse injury are predominantly teenagers or athletics.

I experienced this injury when I was in the sales line. I was required to stand for hours at end at that point in time. I was subsequently informed by my physiotherapist that my quadriceps were week which happened to be one of the the causes of my patella tendinitis. I was discharged after 3 to 4 sessions.

Some Symptoms of OSD

Patients suffering from OSD may complain or display some of these symptoms:

1. Pain at tibial tubercle on running

2. Discomfort on prolonged sitting or standing

3. Pain at tibial tubercle on walking up/down stairs

4. Any other forms of activities resulting in the rubbing of the patella

Complications

Possible complications of OSD include an avulsion fracture. An avulsion fracture takes place when a bone fragment tears away from the proximal (main) mass of bone. In the above scenario, the tibial tubercle may tear away from the tibial (shinbone) if the muscular force exerted by the quadriceps is too excessive. Under such circumstances, surgery is necessary.

Treatment

A doctor may prescribe a course of anti-inflammatory drugs or physiotherapy treatment. An X-Ray may be used to ascertain if the tibial tubercle is fractured.
I was prescribed with Vitaxicam Gel to reduce inflammation. A course of painkillers (ponston/antacid) was given for oral use. An X-ray and physiotherapy was done on subsequent visits based on my specialist discretion.

Physiotherapy

For sufferers of Osgood Schlatter's Disease, they are normally taught exercise to strengthen their quadriceps. Therefore, the stress of the patella tendon can then be adsorbed by the quadriceps. Common exercises include straight leg raises and the bench press.

Miscellaneous Resources

Ebook : Diagonise & Cure Your Knee Injury At Home