Description of the Anatomy of Osgood Schlatters Disease
Osgood Schlatter’s disease is considered a condition that causes swelling and pain below the knee joint at the section at which the patellar tendon is attached to the upper part of the tibia (shin bone), at a spot known as tibial tuberosity. Osgood Schlatter’s disease is evident to be an inflammation of the patellar tendon that usually stretches over the patella where this disease is commonly associated with adolescent individuals who participate athletes and most of the time are considered to play games that require a lot of running and jumping (Corbi et al., 2022).
There are various parts of a human being that are greatly involved in causing Osgood Schlatter’s disease. Quadriceps are considered to be the group of muscles that are found at the anterior of an individual thigh which are considered to have greater mass than any group of muscles in an individual body. The thigh bone also known as the femur is considered the strongest and longest bone in the human body It gives the ability to a person to stand, move, and support significant muscles such as the ligaments and tendons. As illustrated in Figure 1 below, the patella is located anterior to the knee joint which is within the tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscles (Kids Health, 2022). The tibia is considered the weight-withstanding bone and one of the two bones that comprise the leg. The Patellar Tendon is a distal portion of the tendon of the quadriceps femoris which proceeds from the patella to tibial tuberosity. Tibia tuberosity is evident to be an elevation on the anterior, proximal side of medial and lateral tibial condyles ending. The image below illustrates the anatomy and all parts involved in Osgood Schlatter’s disease.
Mechanism of Osgood Schlatters Disease
Bone growth plate irritation is considered the major cause of Osgood Schlatter’s disease. The bones usually grow at the extremity near the joint but do not grow at the center. The center of the two bones is usually comprised of the cartilage rather than the bone. The bone is considered stronger than the cartilage where in most cases high levels of pressure and stress will make the growth plate start swelling and hurting.
The tendon that originates from the patella (kneecap) is attached to the growth plate in the anterior of the tibia (leg bone). On occasions when the quadriceps which are attached to the patella are pulled on the patella, there is always a greater tension that is initiated on the patellar tendon. As a result, the patellar tendon will resultantly pull on the tibia which is considered as a section of the growth plate. Potential movements that initiate recurrent extension of an individual leg may lead to tenderness in the section at which the patellar tendon is attached to the upper part of the tibia. There are various activities that usually set greater pressure on the knee such as bending, running uphill, and squatting which make tissue surrounding the growth plate swell and hurt (Green et al., 2020).
Signs/Symptoms of Osgood Schlatters Disease
- Inflammation and a sharp pain under the kneecap and in most cases the knee is noted to be red and greatly swollen.
- The pain under the kneecap worsens during walking uphill, jumping, kneeling, and running but eventually improves during the time of rest.
- Osgood Schlatter’s disease occurs in a single knee but can also occur bilaterally
- The pain in the kneecap may proceed for a period of months till the growth spurt ceases
- Painful and hard bump appearing in the anterior of the knee
- Swelling and tenderness over the tibial tubercle which may result in chronic pain that usually interferes with normal routine work.
Treatment and Recovery from Osgood Schlatters Disease
Utilization of Ice Pack
The use of an ice pack in the affected area will greatly reduce inflammation and numb all the pain thus relieving an individual from the severe injuries and pain as a result of the Osgood Schlatters disease. Athletes are encouraged to use ice packs after the sports activity as it is helpful
Use of Anti-inflammatories
Some of the medicines for instance ibuprofen (Advil and Aleve) and Tylenol (acetaminophen) are taken to reduce and control pain. Some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may also be used in controlling the pain on the kneecap as a result of Osgood Schlatter’s disease.
Adoption of Physical Therapy to keep Leg Muscles Flexible and Strong
Physical therapy is considered a care that aims at easing pain and facilitating excellent movement and function of parts of your body for better living. It is recommended for adolescents and other individuals who are prone to Osgood Schlatter’s disease to ensure they increase the flexibility of the anterior and posterior of the thigh through physical therapy. This is achieved through a home simple exercise.
Taking a Break from Sports in Severe Cases is Recommended
In order to treat Osgood Schlatter’s disease, it is recommended for the patient to take a break from participating in sports such as athletics and other games which will result in greater pressure on the kneecap.
Encouraged use of Kneepads
Individuals who are considered to participate in sports should ensure they wear kneepads. It is recommended to use a brace known as a patellar tendon strap which usually fits around the kneecap under the kneecap and thus relieving (Ciatawi & Dusak 2022)
References
Ciatawi, K., & Dusak, I. W. S. (2022). Osgood-Schlatter disease: A review of current diagnosis and management. Current Orthopaedic Practice, 33(3), 294-298. Web.
Corbi, F., Matas, S., Álvarez-Herms, J., Sitko, S., Baiget, E., Reverter-Masia, J., & López-Laval, I. (2022). Osgood-Schlatter disease: Appearance, diagnosis, and treatment: A narrative review. In Healthcare (Vol. 10, No. 6, p. 1011). MDPI. Web.
Green, D. W., Sidharthan, S., Schlichte, L. M., Aitchison, A. H., & Mintz, D. N. (2020). Increased posterior Tibial slope in patients with Osgood-Schlatter disease: A new association. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(3), 642-646. Web.
Kids Health. (2022). Find care at Nemours Children’s Health. The Nemours Foundation, Getty images. Web.