Osgood-Schlatter disease

BWRhasnoAC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Apr 10, 2013
29,825
27,489
113
Dez Moy Nez
I grew out of it. Didn't really have any way to help the pain. I usually just gut through it.
 

Cyballzz

Well-Known Member
Feb 1, 2010
4,500
5,368
113
My middle kid is experiencing this right now and it’s incredibly painful for him. Anybody have experience with this? And good treatments or anything for this?

I feel like we’ve tried a bunch of stuff with almost no impact. He’s a great athlete which has nothing to do with my genetics but it’s bad enough I could see him not continuing with sports which would be a shame.

Like others have said, get a knee strap/brace for it. My daughter had it about 6 months ago and bounced back pretty quickly. Ice after practices/games etc. and ibuprofen for the swelling. It is one of those things you have to just kind of gut your way through though.

Eventually his body will catch up with the growth spurt and (in the case of my daughter) stop looking like a newborn deer running around.
 

Cyforce

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2009
17,142
13,030
113
Des Moines
My middle kid is experiencing this right now and it’s incredibly painful for him. Anybody have experience with this? And good treatments or anything for this?

I feel like we’ve tried a bunch of stuff with almost no impact. He’s a great athlete which has nothing to do with my genetics but it’s bad enough I could see him not continuing with sports which would be a shame.
Yes it sucks, in jh they would swell after practice and was difficult to walk for maybe 20 minutes. Had a growth spurt where I grew six inches over a summer and the swelling lessened. However I did roll my ankles all the time. Can’t say for sure that was related. The bump under my right knee is still very noticeable
 

BryceC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2006
26,432
19,570
113
A strap and a kneepad if it's super sensitive. I had a family member who had it pretty bad, barely slipped and bonked their knee. They were paralyzed with pain. Beyond that, I have no idea about treatments.

He wears big sleeves on his knees now. He can’t stand the straps, hurts too much to even put on. Just waddles around like a penguin out there.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: Saul_T

BryceC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2006
26,432
19,570
113
Thanks for the replies everybody.
 

ruxCYtable

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2007
7,371
4,373
113
Colorado
My middle kid is experiencing this right now and it’s incredibly painful for him. Anybody have experience with this? And good treatments or anything for this?

I feel like we’ve tried a bunch of stuff with almost no impact. He’s a great athlete which has nothing to do with my genetics but it’s bad enough I could see him not continuing with sports which would be a shame.
I also had it and grew out of it. It was extremely painful, but they told me if you can stand the pain, you will not do any damage by playing with it. Went through lots of Advil, ice and Icy Hot.

They took a bunch of photos of my knees that supposedly ended up in an orthopedic textbook somewhere.
 

CYEATHAWK

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2007
7,425
5,828
113
My middle kid is experiencing this right now and it’s incredibly painful for him. Anybody have experience with this? And good treatments or anything for this?

I feel like we’ve tried a bunch of stuff with almost no impact. He’s a great athlete which has nothing to do with my genetics but it’s bad enough I could see him not continuing with sports which would be a shame.

Had it my freshman year in HS right before track season. Doctor told me no track (which I loved), no riding bikes, running up down stairs.....basically anything other than walking for 3 months if I wanted to get over it quickly. He scared me enough to where I did exactly what he said, and when summer break began the pain was gone and I was given the green light to go back to being a normal kid. And it hasn't bothered me since.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NWICY

FriendlySpartan

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
9,425
9,879
113
38
My middle kid is experiencing this right now and it’s incredibly painful for him. Anybody have experience with this? And good treatments or anything for this?

I feel like we’ve tried a bunch of stuff with almost no impact. He’s a great athlete which has nothing to do with my genetics but it’s bad enough I could see him not continuing with sports which would be a shame.
No need to drop sports as he should grow out of it, approx what age is he at? Typically it’s recommended to avoid the specific movements that are causing the pain as outside of NSAID’s, stretching, braces/straps there isn’t an actual treatment, just managing of symptoms.

Jumping is usually the number one cause of the pain but also anything where you are doing hard planting with the knee such as squats or if you are running on elevation and really have to dig in.

You can still have him do other activities that don’t hurt and can strengthen the areas around the knee to help but again time is the only real fix for it.
 

BryceC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2006
26,432
19,570
113
No need to drop sports as he should grow out of it, approx what age is he at? Typically it’s recommended to avoid the specific movements that are causing the pain as outside of NSAID’s, stretching, braces/straps there isn’t an actual treatment, just managing of symptoms.

Jumping is usually the number one cause of the pain but also anything where you are doing hard planting with the knee such as squats or if you are running on elevation and really have to dig in.

You can still have him do other activities that don’t hurt and can strengthen the areas around the knee to help but again time is the only real fix for it.

He’s 12. Big problem is that he loves basketball. Jumping/Hard planting is the name of the game there.
 

FriendlySpartan

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
9,425
9,879
113
38
He’s 12. Big problem is that he loves basketball. Jumping/Hard planting is the name of the game there.
Dribbling and free throws will be your friend, same for passing drills. He might be able to move laterally well without pain or with minimal pain that can be managed, also make sure he has some great supportive shoes.

Sadly playing in an actual game or pickup is going to be an issue but it will go away. Tough for a 12 year old to process but can work on building the fundamentals
 

no2cyclones

Mariner Moose
Staff member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 26, 2006
3,986
164
63
Cedar Rapids, IA
I’m a physical therapist in CR. We see a bunch of people with this every year. Biggest things we do are stretch, roll, and massage the quad muscles (specifically closer to the knee joint). Stretching hip flexor muscles can also be helpful.

We also use iontophoresis with dexamethasone pretty frequently, at the quad tendon attachment point, which can help to reduce local inflammation fairly quickly.

Feel free to send me a message if you’d like. I’m happy to help however I can.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: NWICY

FriendlySpartan

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
9,425
9,879
113
38
I’m a physical therapist in CR. We see a bunch of people with this every year. Biggest things we do are stretch, roll, and massage the quad muscles (specifically closer to the knee joint). Stretching hip flexor muscles can also be helpful.

We also use iontophoresis with dexamethasone pretty frequently, at the quad tendon attachment point, which can help to reduce local inflammation fairly quickly.

Feel free to send me a message if you’d like. I’m happy to help however I can.
Huh, you use dexpak that regularly for kids with OS? Not saying it that’s wrong just kinda surprised
 

JVAR

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2006
1,014
946
113
Eagle Grove, IA
I got it junior high in my left knee and it bothered me pretty bad. Took Dolobid (no loner available) so I could keep playing football and basketball. Meds had a lot of side effects. Didn’t bother me as much in track. Wore a knee brace too. It lasted about three years. Didn’t bother me as much my senior year. The doctor at the time said that I had it because I grew so fast in junior high. It was 6’1 by the time I was in eighth grade. The basketball coach thought I was gonna be really tall and was really excited. I only grew another inch lol. It hasn’t really affected me in my adulthood. I’ve run a bunch of half marathons and did martial arts for many years without a lot of pain. It sucks when you’re in it though.
 

Big_Sill

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Aug 4, 2008
1,585
2,418
113
43
Sorry to hear, this really sucks and can be extremely frustrating. I don't really have any advice not already provided.

Best of luck as you deal with this, hoping solutions now are better than they were a long time ago.
 

FriendlySpartan

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2021
9,425
9,879
113
38
To be clear, it’s a pretty small percentage and in solution, applied via a patch to the skin, and authorized by the person’s referring physician/care provider.
Wasn’t doubting the efficacy of the treatment or the justification behind it, I just work in emergency and was unaware of its use for OS, patch over oral makes more sense as well
 

melt

Active Member
Apr 5, 2006
312
155
43
Chicago, IL
Like a lot of people in here, I had it in 7th and 8th grade. It was about 2 years I had it and then I grew out of it, nothing long term so far. Only thing that really helped me at all was wearing wraps around my knee and avoiding strenous leg exercises. I got kind of fat in 8th grade and then luckily I grew out of that too.
 

BryceC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2006
26,432
19,570
113
Dribbling and free throws will be your friend, same for passing drills. He might be able to move laterally well without pain or with minimal pain that can be managed, also make sure he has some great supportive shoes.

Sadly playing in an actual game or pickup is going to be an issue but it will go away. Tough for a 12 year old to process but can work on building the fundamentals

He unfortunately can’t even shoot sometimes because he can’t even remotely squat.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: FriendlySpartan