Osgood Schlatter Disease Treatment
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in growing adolescents, particularly those who are active in sports that involve running, jumping, and rapid direction changes. The condition develops when the patellar tendon — which connects the kneecap to the tibial tubercle, the bony bump at the top of the shinbone — pulls repeatedly on the growth plate beneath its attachment point during periods of rapid skeletal growth. This repetitive traction causes inflammation, irritation, and in some cases partial separation of the growth plate, producing a painful, visible bump just below the knee that worsens with physical activity. Osgood-Schlatter disease most commonly affects pre-teens and teenagers between the ages of 10 and 15 — particularly during growth spurts — and can involve one or both knees.
Dr. Jonathan Glashow is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, with specialized training in pediatric orthopedics through a rotation at Harvard University’s Boston Children’s Hospital during his residency at Lenox Hill Hospital. This training — combined with over 30 years of sports medicine experience and more than 15,000 procedures — gives him a deep understanding of the growth plate conditions and overuse injuries that affect young athletes, including the distinction between conditions that resolve on their own with activity modification and those that require closer monitoring or intervention. Dr. Glashow provides sports medicine and orthopedic care for New York City public and private school students and serves as Chief Medical Officer for the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers. Named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor every year since 2000, he evaluates and treats Osgood-Schlatter disease at his Upper East Side practice in New York City.
What Causes Osgood Schlatter Disease?
The patella tendon is essential for running and jumping. In growing youth that play sports or are very active, overuse of the patella tendon can cause irritation to the tibial tubercle and growth plate under the knee. When this occurs, it is called Osgood Schlatter disease, a painful inflammation of the growth plate under the tibial tubercle.
Symptoms and Treatment
Osgood Schlatter disease is most common during growth spurts in adolescence in active pre-teens and teenagers. The symptoms include pain directly below the knee. There is usually a pronounced tibial tubercle, or bump, that is tender to the touch. Pain may be more pronounced when running or jumping. Some adolescents experience a tightness in the quadriceps and hamstring. Osgood Schlatter disease can affect one or both knees.
Treatment for Osgood Schlatter disease is usually conservative. Controlling inflammation and pain is the primary concern, followed by rehabilitation. In severe cases of unresolved pain from Osgood Schlatter disease, the patient may need surgical repair as a young adult.
If you have a child that is experiencing symptoms of Osgood Schlatter disease, contact our team at Jonathan Glashow, MD, Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine. We offer advanced treatments for sports injuries from experienced orthopedic surgeons and specialists at our medical facility in New York City.
Frequently Asked Questions About Osgood-Schlatter Disease
What is Osgood-Schlatter disease?
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a growth-related condition — not a true “disease” — in which the patellar tendon’s attachment to the tibial tubercle becomes inflamed and irritated from repetitive pulling forces during periods of rapid bone growth. The growth plate beneath the tibial tubercle is softer and more vulnerable to traction stress than mature bone, and in active adolescents, the repetitive forces generated by running, jumping, and kicking can exceed the growth plate’s tolerance. The result is pain, swelling, and a prominent bump just below the knee that is tender to the touch.
What sports put kids at highest risk for Osgood-Schlatter disease?
Any sport that involves repetitive running, jumping, kneeling, or rapid deceleration increases the risk. Basketball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, gymnastics, and figure skating are among the most commonly associated activities. However, any physically active adolescent can develop the condition — it is not limited to competitive athletes. The risk is highest during growth spurts, when bones are growing faster than the surrounding muscles and tendons can adapt.
How is Osgood-Schlatter disease diagnosed?
Dr. Glashow diagnoses Osgood-Schlatter disease through a physical examination that identifies the characteristic painful, swollen bump at the tibial tubercle and reproduces the pain with specific movements. X-rays may be taken to evaluate the growth plate, rule out other causes of knee pain — such as a tibial tubercle fracture or bone tumor — and assess whether any bony fragmentation has occurred at the growth plate site. MRI is not typically necessary for straightforward cases but may be ordered if the diagnosis is unclear or if the symptoms are unusually severe.
Does Osgood-Schlatter disease go away on its own?
In most cases, yes. Osgood-Schlatter disease is a self-limiting condition that resolves once the growth plate closes and hardens into mature bone — typically by age 14 to 16 in girls and 16 to 18 in boys. Treatment during the active phase focuses on managing symptoms with rest, ice, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medications, and in some cases a patellar tendon strap to reduce traction on the tibial tubercle. A physical therapy program targeting quadriceps and hamstring flexibility can also help relieve symptoms and prevent recurrence during the growing years.
Will my child need surgery for Osgood-Schlatter disease?
Surgery is rarely necessary and is reserved for a small number of patients whose symptoms persist into late adolescence or young adulthood despite the growth plate having closed. In these cases, a bony fragment (ossicle) that formed within the patellar tendon during the active phase of the disease may continue to cause pain and irritation. Dr. Glashow can remove this fragment through a small procedure to resolve the symptoms. For the vast majority of patients, conservative treatment is effective and surgery is not needed.
Will the bump below my child’s knee go away?
The bony bump at the tibial tubercle — which develops from the bone’s response to the repetitive traction — is usually permanent, even after the pain resolves. In most cases, the bump is painless and purely cosmetic once skeletal maturity is reached. However, the bump may remain tender to direct pressure, such as kneeling on hard surfaces. This is normal and does not indicate that the condition is still active or that treatment has failed.
