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O’Neill Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic
What is Osgood-Schlatter Disease?

What is Osgood-Schlatter Disease?

Osgood Schlatter Disease (OSD) is a common condition that causes knee pain in older children and teenagers. The condition is more commonly seen in boys, especially those who are involved in sports that include kicking, running and jumping. During such activities, the thigh muscles (quadriceps) pull on the tendon (patellar tendon) that connects the kneecap to the growth plate at the top of the shinbone (tibia). A growth plate is a layer of cartilage near the end of the bone where most of the bone growth happens. It is a weaker part of the bone and therefore is more suspectable to injury.  The repeated stress causes the patellar tendon to pull on the growth plate, resulting in inflammation, pain and swelling of the area. The body can try to close the gap formed around the growth plate by forming new bone growth, which results in a bony prominence at the top of the tibia.

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