Osgood-Schlatter disease (OS) is an overuse injury causing pain to the inferior knee area and often noted with a visible growth just below the kneecap on the proximal tibia. The development of OS is most often a consequence of excessive stress to the area where the patellar ligament attaches on the tibia during periods of rapid skeletal growth. As this condition progresses, the body responds by increasing bone growth to the area being ‘pulled on’ (where the patella ligament attaches to the tibia). This increased bone growth is the bump that is usually felt over the painful area on the front of the shinbone. OS most commonly affects adolescents because they typically experience the greatest rate of skeletal growth.
OS disease is usually the cumulative effect of repeated stress or trauma on the patella ligament attachment on the tibia and can be effectively treated by a physical therapist using manual therapy and sport specific functional movement exercises.
