What is Osgood Schlatter’s Disease?

What is Osgood Schlatters Disease?

Osgood Schlatters occurs in children and causes knee pain. But what is it exactly?

It occurs when there is a pulling away of the patella tendon from its attachment on the tibial tubercle with the prominence at the top and front of the shin bone, as shown in the image to the left.

It is also known as ‘traction apophysitis’.

It usually goes away after just less than 2 years on average.

‘traction apophysitis’ describes the pulling away of the tendon from its bony attachment. The bone area is still soft in children and adolescents, because this is the site of a growth plate. Cartilage is in the process of turning to bone, slowly, as the child grows through their puberty stage.

This soft site is called the epiphysis and the tendon attachment area is called the ‘apophysis’. The word ‘apophysitis’ means inflammation of the apophysis.

Osgood Schlatters Disease is usually suffered by those who are very active. This is not always the case though. It can occur in children and teenagers whose growth rate is faster than the average.