Osgood-Schlatter Knee Pain: Solutions for Youth Athletes
Youth sports are an excellent way for kids to stay healthy and social. If your child can’t get enough of a particular sport, they could experience knee pain due to Osgood-Schlatter disease. What is this health condition, and how can you treat it?
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about Osgood-Schlatter knee pain, from coping and care methods to the causes of the ailment. St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance specializes in treating Osgood-Schlatter pain and other athletic injuries. Bring your child to our facility for some much-needed relief.
Understanding Osgood-Schlatter Knee Pain
What is Osgood-Schlatter disease? This common type of knee ailment stems from the consistent pulling of the patellar tendon. When it comes to understanding Osgood-Schlatter knee conditions, the most commonly affected age group is young athletic girls between the ages of 10 and 13 and boys between the ages of 12 and 14.
Young athletes are prone to experiencing an OSD knee ailment partly because of overuse of the muscles but also because their bones tend to grow faster than muscles and tendons, leading to a bigger stretch of the patellar tendon. If your child experiences swelling or tenderness around the knee that impacts their activity level, they could have Osgood-Schlatter disease. Their knee pain may worsen if their quadriceps and hamstrings feel tight.
Causes and Risk Factors of Osgood-Schlatter Knee Pain
What are the symptoms and causes of Osgood-Schlatter pain? Typically, the pain stems from overuse of the muscles during the time of growth spurts. If your prepubescent child plays the same sport several days per week, they might be at risk of Osgood-Schlatter knee pain.
Experts suggest that muscle overuse from one sport, such as football or soccer, can exacerbate pain. Contrary to popular belief, having your child play more than one sport reduces their chances of experiencing knee pain since different activities involve different motions and use various muscle groups. Putting repetitive stress on the body from one sport only puts your child at a greater risk of knee pain that causes:
- Limping after physical activity
- Tenderness
- Swelling
Chiropractic Care for Osgood-Schlatter Knee Pain
Chiropractors specialize in the health and function of the musculoskeletal system. They are experts when it comes to managing Osgood-Schlatter knee pain and use a variety of techniques to keep your child pain-free during their activities.
The body can experience stress when soft tissues like muscles and tendons get too much use. Chiropractors will assess the function of the knee and its range of motion. They may perform a manual manipulation, which helps to realign joints and relieve pain or stiffness.
In addition, they will teach your child a few simple exercises that they can do at home to strengthen their muscles around the knee. Keeping up with chiropractic adjustments and at-home stretches will help relieve pain and other symptoms.
Therapies and Exercises for Osgood-Schlatter Knee Pain
The treatment options for Osgood-Schlatter syndrome involve basic stretching and strengthening exercises that target the muscles around the knee and upper leg. Athletes should reduce their activity slightly to avoid worsening their pain with overuse. However, they don’t need to stay out of the game entirely to experience relief.
Chiropractic care and physical therapy exercises can improve knee function so athletes can stay active without any pain. Stretches that target big muscle groups like the quadriceps and hamstrings can improve an athlete’s performance and alleviate their OSD knee ailment. Combining these therapies with activity modification, icing, compression, elevation, and, if necessary, pain medications can promote faster healing of Osgood-Schlatter disease so young athletes don’t have to stay on the sidelines.
Osgood-Schlatter Knee Pain Relief at St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance
Take care of your young athletes by bringing them to St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance. Our staff will give you different relief strategies for Osgood-Schlatter knee pain so athletes can return to their sport without any pain. By strengthening the muscles in the upper leg and knee, kids can reduce knee suffering due to Osgood-Schlatter disease.
Give our team a call when you need an experienced chiropractor in St. Johns, FL. Schedule an appointment by calling (904) 217-7078 or contact us online to reap the benefits of chiropractic care for knee pain from Osgood-Schlatter disease.
