Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in growing adolescents. It is an inflammation of the area just below the knee where the tendon from ...PrintEmailFacebookTwitterDiseases&ConditionsOsgood-SchlatterDisease(KneePain)Osgood-Schlatterdiseaseisacommoncauseofkneepainingrowingadolescents.Itisaninflammationoftheareajustbelowthekneewherethetendonfromthekneecap(patellartendon)attachestotheshinbone(tibia).Osgood-Schlatterdiseasemostoftenoccursduringgrowthspurts,whenbones,muscles,tendons,andotherstructuresarechangingrapidly.Becausephysicalactivityputsadditionalstressonbonesandmuscles,childrenwhoparticipateinathletics—especiallyrunningandjumpingsports —areatanincreasedriskforthiscondition.However,lessactiveadolescentsmayalsoexperiencethisproblem.InmostcasesofOsgood-Schlatterdisease,simplemeasureslikerest,ice,over-the-countermedication,andstretchingandstrengtheningexerciseswillrelievepainandallowareturntodailyactivities.Osgood-Schlatterdiseasecausespainatthetibialtubercle—thebonybumpwherethepatellartendonattachestothetibia(shinbone).DescriptionThebonesofchildrenandadolescentspossessaspecialareawheretheboneisgrowingcalledthegrowthplate.Growthplatesareareasofcartilagelocatedneartheendsofbones.Whenachildisfullygrown,thegrowthplateshardenintosolidbone.Somegrowthplatesserveasattachmentsitesfortendons,thestrongtissuesthatconnectmusclestobones.Abonybumpcalledthetibialtuberclecoversthegrowthplateattheendofthetibia.Thegroupofmusclesinthefrontofthethigh(calledthequadriceps)attachestothetibialtubercle.Whenachildisactive,thequadricepsmusclespullonthepatellartendonwhich,inturn,pullsonthetibialtubercle.Insomechildren,thisrepetitivetractiononthetubercleleadstoinflammationofthegrowthplate.Theprominence,orbump,ofthetibialtuberclemaybecomeverypronounced.RelatedArticlesDiseases&ConditionsAdolescentAnteriorKneePainDiseases&ConditionsSever'sDiseaseStayingHealthyAGuidetoSafetyforYoungAthletesSymptomsPainfulsymptomsareoftenbroughtonbyrunning,jumping,andothersports-relatedactivitie