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Original poster

Osgood Schlatter

36 replies

pilates · 19/08/2018 22:29

I think my 14 yr old son may have this. It is really getting him down as he plays a lot of football. Anyone got advice/suggestions. Is it better to rest or try and play through it?

OP posts:
hmmwhatatodo · 19/08/2018 22:32

Mine had it, I used to massage his legs. If I remember correctly he carried on playing but sometimes missed it if he felt too bad. I think the doctor initially dismissed it and made us feel bad for wasting her time.

AtleastitsnotMonday · 19/08/2018 22:32

He has my sympathy, I had horrific osgood schlatters as a teen it was absolute agony. There were days when walking was excruciating. I was told to rest but strengthen quads and hamstrings. Ice and regular ibuprofen.

formerbabe · 19/08/2018 22:37

What a coincidence, I've been reading about this over the weekend as my ds has been complaining his knee hurts. He's 10 and very sporty...football crazy! Will be taking him to doctors. I'm worried as he's so active and won't be very pleased about having to rest up. I'm wondering if it is Osgood schlatter, is exercise just painful or will it cause long term damage?

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14 year olds
QueenCuntyFlippers · 19/08/2018 23:03

My DB has this as a teenager. I remember him being in hospital and diagnosed but not much else.

If it helps, he runs regularly, plays footie still and is as fit as a fiddle. He’s 33 now x

thejeangenie36 · 19/08/2018 23:18

I had this and it was agony! He absolutely shouldn't be playing through it - that can make things significantly worse and will delay football for longer. He should be resting until the pain goes away, which can take months. In the meantime stretching / strengthening quads and hamstrings, maybe gentle exercise that doesn't put any load on the knee.

Boffered1 · 19/08/2018 23:20

Osgoods is common in the sport DD does. The general advice seems to be rest and ice. A sports physio would be able to show you how to apply Kenesio tape which apparently helps. There is also something called a patella band but it does recommend medical advice before use.

formerbabe · 19/08/2018 23:50

Oh no, so worried reading these posts that my ds has this (will see what doc says obviously) but he's on his school football team and plays all the time. His whole social life is based round meeting his friends in the park and playing football...Sad

Mytimenow · 19/08/2018 23:57

My son has this, he uses the special tape on both knees whilst playing and training, his physio has given him exercises to strengthen quads and hamstrings but he gets most relief from a chiropractor every 6weeks or so. He will not rest but his sport season doesn’t start again until September so he’s had a few months off. I’m hoping he grows out of it soon, it is agony for him after matches.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 20/08/2018 00:01

My sister has this, she's 30 now and hasn't grown out of it - in fact it has worsened. She has regular periods where she can't walk without crutches, and has had a splint on all summer. When she saw her consultant two weeks ago, he listed her for her fourth op since she was 11, in the hopes that this will finally resolve the problem. You have my sympathies.

formerbabe · 20/08/2018 00:01

If anyone's dc has had this can I ask how was it diagnosed? Did the gp diagnose or were you referred on to someone? Did you need an xray?

Mytimenow · 20/08/2018 00:15

Chiropractor diagnosed my son, who then wrote a letter to GP who referred to physio

formerbabe · 20/08/2018 00:18

Mytimenow

Thank you for replying!

BikeRunSki · 20/08/2018 00:25

DH had this as a teen, and still had episodes into his late 20s. Kinseo rose dint exist back then, but he did have some physio to help, but also changed his mskn sport from cricket (unsurprisingly big impact on the knees), to cycling (pressure massively lessened with clip in pedals and using gears properly).

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 20/08/2018 00:39

My sister was referred to the hospital at 10 by the GP after not being able to bear weight whilst on holiday. She had various x rays, scans etc to be diagnosed.

KnobOfStork · 20/08/2018 00:59

I was diagnosed 10 years ago, many doctors had never heard of it but I hope it's different now. I never had the surgery. I have a very visible bump still at 21 but it doesn't stop me cycling. It did stop me running though and PE was hard. Ice/warm baths did go a long way to alleviate the pain.

KnobOfStork · 20/08/2018 01:11

Here's a beautiful, photo of my hairy lumpy knee. It does become far more pronounced during flare ups. Not the best photo but hopefully helpful. Would have been reassuring to me to know I wasn't going to have a mad fat knee for life Grin

Ariela · 20/08/2018 01:40

There are lots of exercises online you can do to help with this

afromom · 20/08/2018 02:32

DS has had this for 2 years now )he's 14). Plays a lot of football and rugby, but had to give up long distance running as the prolonged running was too much. He iced his knee before sport (in the car on the way there) and had an ibuprofen. Then iced it again after playing. It's still painful but the ice makes it bareable. He did have to cone off at half time a couple of timers last year. But it's not stopped him too much. It's such a horrible thing for sporty teens to have.

Ringsender2 · 20/08/2018 02:41

Joining for tips. We found out from googling, chats with parents of other sporty kids, confirmed by visit to physio. Rest/ rrduction in activity is key - don't play through it at all costs. Chsnge sports- my DC dropped tennis altogether as that seemed the worst for it.

We got expensive orthotics that were never worn!

Original poster
pilates · 20/08/2018 07:05

Wow wasn’t expecting so many replies this morning. It seems it’s quite common. He will be devastated if he has to give up football. We are seeing physio tomorrow so will report back but thanks for all the replies.

OP posts:
FairyPenguin · 20/08/2018 07:15

DD has had it since she was 9. When it flares up she has to rest but since going to physio, she’s been given exercises and now wears orthotics which have both helped massively.

bluerunningshoes · 20/08/2018 07:21

my brother had it after a massive growth spurt.
was in a cast for a month and no contact sports/high impact sports for almost a year (advice/treatment might have changed).

Original poster
pilates · 21/08/2018 19:13

We saw physio today and she confirmed he has it. We have been given an exercise programme with lots of hamstring and quad stretches. She recommended that he carries on with light training and matches but to warn his manager he may not be able to play a full match. She said to listen to his body and if he starts to feel pain stop immediately. Fairy what orthotics does your DD wear? The physio recommended some insoles too.

OP posts:
Chesntoots · 21/08/2018 19:51

I had this and I now have little knobbly lumps just below my kneecaps. They don't hurt, except for kneeling exercises in yoga.

I used to ride daily as a teenager so not sure whether that had anything to do with it.

Ooforfoxsakeridesagain · 21/08/2018 19:58

Both my boys had it. It didn’t stop them playing sport, we just had to be a bit more careful. Make the coaches and PE teachers are aware, ensure they warm up and cool down properly, rest, ice it.

DS2 in particular suffered at night in bed. I’d put a pillow under his legs, a hot water bottle sometimes and ibuprofen. No idea how effective it was but seemed to help make him more comfortable.

It didn’t impact massively, and giving up sport wasn’t mentioned. It passed in a year or two in both their cases. DS2 plays football 4/5 times a week, does athletics as well as PE at school and is fine.

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