Osteochondrosis

Osgood-Schlatter disease will almost always goes away on its own once the child stops growing.

Treatment includes:

• Rest and decreasing activity when your child has symptoms
• Putting ice over the painful area two to four times a day, and after activities
• Ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or acetaminophen (Tylenol).

In many cases, the condition will get better using these methods.

Adolescents should be allowed to play sports if the activity does not cause too much discomfort. However, symptoms will improve faster if activity is kept to a minimum. Sometimes, a child will need to take a break from most or all sports for 2 or more months.

In the rare case where symptoms do not go away, a cast or brace may be used to support the leg until it heals. This typically takes 6 - 8 weeks. Crutches may be used for walking to keep weight off the painful leg.

Rarely, surgery may be needed.

Most cases get better on their own after a few weeks or months. Most cases eventually go away once the child finished growing.

Call your health care provider if your child has knee or leg pain, or if pain does not get better with treatment.

Images

Lower leg muscles

Leg pain (Osgood-Schlatter)

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Osgood Symptoms

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Osgood Prevention

Review Date: 11/12/2010
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)