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Osgood- Schlatter's Disease
Knee pain in children may be caused by a
variety of conditions. Some of these conditions may be rare but can be
quite serious in nature. Knee pain in children should be evaluated by your doctor. Osgood-Schlatter's Disease A
common cause of knee pain in a growing child is injury to a growth
plate in the front of the knee. This may be accompanied by swelling in
the area. This condition is called Osgood-Schlatter's disease.
It occurs most commonly in children between the ages of 10 -14. It is
often associated with playing sports and aggressive bicycle riding. It
is felt that the condition is primarily caused by an abnormal pull of
the tendon that attaches into the painful area from the kneecap. This
tendon is called the patellar tendon. Treatment of Osgood-Schlatter's Disease
Treatment consists of avoiding activities that aggravate the condition
such as kneeling or excessive flexion of the knee. Icing the area and
anti-inflammatory medications such as Tylenol or Advil may provide
temporary relief. Often the abnormal knee function is due to the way
the foot functions. In this instance the foot causes the lower leg to
rotate slightly inward. This causes the patellar tendon to pull in an
abnormal direction where it attaches in front of the knee causing
damage to the growth plate in this area. If this is the cause of the
problem then treatment might consist of a custom fitted shoe insert
called an orthotic.
The orthotic corrects the underlying foot condition that is affecting
the lower leg and knee. A podiatrist trained in the use of functional
orthotics should be able to evaluate the cause of the problem and if it
is caused by abnormal foot function adequately treat the condition.
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