Osgood–Schlatter Disease: How to Care for Your Child

Osgood–Schlatter disease is swelling and irritation of the growth plate at the top of the shinbone. A growth plate is a layer of cartilage near the end of a bone where most of the bone's growth happens. 

Kids with Osgood–Schlatter disease have knee pain. They may also have swelling that feels like a bump just below the kneecap. The pain and swelling usually stop when a teen is finished growing (around 14–18 years old).

Activity

• Your child can do their usual activities if the pain isn't severe and doesn't make it hard to continue.

• If your child plays sports, it can help to:

  • Wear shock-absorbing insoles in their sneakers and cleats.

  • Put a heating pad or warm washcloth on the knee(s) for 15 minutes before sports.

  • Warm up before and after sports.

  • Put ice wrapped in a towel on the knee(s) for about 20 minutes after sports. Do not put ice directly on the skin.

  • Wear protective knee pads, especially for wrestling, basketball, and volleyball. (Getting hit in the knee or falling on the knee can make the pain worse.)

• If your child has severe pain or trouble during an activity (for example, they start limping), they should stop the activity. They can try it again or do a less intense version of the activity when the pain goes away (usually after a day or two).

To help with pain and swelling:

• Give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol^® or a store brand), ibuprofen (Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand), OR naproxen (Aleve^®, Naprosyn^®, or a store brand) as recommended by your health care provider. Follow the directions on the label for how much to give and how often.

• Place ice wrapped in a towel on the knee(s) for about 20 minutes several times a day. Do not put ice directly on the skin.

Follow your health care provider's advice for: 

• Any movement exercises or stretches your child should do and any activities to avoid.

• Whether your child should go to a bone doctor (orthopedist), sports medicine doctor, or physical therapist to help them create a plan for returning to full activities and sports.

• Having your child wear knee pads while playing sports.

• When your child should follow up.

• Your child has pain that doesn't get better after following your health care provider's instructions.

• You're not sure which activities your child should do.

• Your child has finished growing and still has pain or a bump below the knee.

What causes Osgood–Schlatter disease? Osgood–Schlatter disease usually happens during the growth spurt of puberty (9–14 years old) when bones, muscles, and tendons (bands of connective tissue that connect muscles to bones) grow at different rates. The tendons can get tight, and in kids who do activities that involve a lot of running or jumping (such as basketball, gymnastics, and track), they pull on and injure the growth plate of the shinbone.

Can it happen on both sides? Yes, sometimes both knees can have pain. But usually one knee doesn't hurt as much as the other.

What problems can happen from Osgood–Schlatter disease? Most kids heal completely with no lasting problems. But sometimes, the pain and/or bump below the kneecap don't go away. If this happens, surgery may be needed.