Osgood Schlatter Disease and the Best Knee Braces to Manage It

Osgood Schlatter Disease (OSD), also known as Tibial Tuberculosis Apophysitis, is common among pubescent and adolescent children. OSD is most common in boys aged 10 to 15 years and girls aged 12 to 14 years. As they experience growth spurts, athletic children can get knee pains. While some might develop OSD in one knee, others get it in both knees.

OSD typically goes away after a person’s body stops growing but it can affect adults who experienced the disease as children.

What is Osgood Schlatter Disease?

Osgood Schlatter Disease is a condition characterized by pain and swelling below the kneecap (patella) and tight muscles of the thigh.

Under strenuous athletic activity, the quadriceps and the quadricep tendons agitate the tibial tuberosity, causing a lesion.

The swelling occurs on the tibial tuberosity, where the patellar tendon connects to the tibia. In some cases, bone growth causes a node on the patellar tendon, which lies above the knee joint.

Osgood Schlatter Disease's leading cause is constant irritation on the bone growth plate. Typically, bones grow at the ends near the joint, but in the case of OSD, the bone grows in the middle. The area near the joint, known as the growth plate, is formed with cartilage. The area is not as durable as bone, and strenuous activity over time causes pain and swelling of cartilage.

In the long run, activities that can cause or aggravate OSD include squatting, running uphill, and bending. Patients of OSD find it hard to participate in any sport that involves kneeling or running. A bump or hit on the affected area can be equally painful.

Is OSD Manageable?

In standard cases, OSD goes away with time. Unfortunately, this could take months or years of pain and discomfort. It means that your child could refrain from playing sports or Physical Education due to the pain and constant aggravation.

Management methods to deal with OSD are diverse. While ice packs after athletic activity help with the swelling, the pain doesn't just disappear. Over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs can be of assistance.

A physician might recommend exercises that stretch the back of the thigh to increase flexibility. Although surgery isn't a common remedy for OSD, prolonged pain after the bones stop growing may warrant it in these rare cases.

In cases where the athlete might be participating in team activities, they should use a knee pad. The accessory helps if their knees come into contact with other team members or the ground.

Alternatively, wearing a knee brace can also help manage the condition.

How Can a Knee Brace Help?

By creating a “false attachment” the brace changes the tension and pressure in the knee, helps shift the pressure from the tibia tubercle where the pain is, and helps minimize aggravation of the condition.

Elite Medical Supply provides back and knee braces to Medicare beneficiaries. We provide industry-leading back and knee braces in most competitive bid areas. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help get you on the road to recovery.