Osgood-Schlatter disease in the dancer

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a condition that affects the knee joint, and which appears especially in young athletes between the ages of 8 and 14 in full growth spurt. It is described for the first time in 1903 by two authors, an Anglo-Saxon Osgood, the other German Schlatter, from where its name. The knee joint brings together the bone of the thigh: the femur, to the two bones of the lower leg: the tibia and the fibula. This trio joins another small os: the ball. Between the articular surfaces, is a kind of pad: the meniscus that will fill the void and provide cushioning. The different bones of this joint are held by fibrous fasteners: cruciate ligament and lateral ligaments. The patella, meanwhile, is maintained, above, by the tendon of the quadriceps muscle which extends down, by the patellar tendon. It is exactly at this level that arises the pain described in Osgood-Schlatter disease. At the same place where attaches the patellar tendon on a small tubercle (bump) at the front of the tibia (apophysis-anterior tibial tuberosity). Pain that spread from this area, to the patella or the tibia. This suffering is actually due to the growth cartilage. During an intensive sports practice, growth cartilage is subjected repeatedly to of repetitive strain injury, which causes a painful local inflammation and problems of ossification. When pain persists despite the decrease or discontinuation of sport, doctors offer detention of three to four weeks, plastering the knee. But this is quite rare. Surgery is exceptional in the context of this pathology. Surgeons must operate to remove ossification only if trauma resulted in a displacement of the bone fragments in the knee. This can sometimes occur years later in adulthood. A few practical tips If your child complains of pain in the knee, do not neglect them and take consult it a doctor, who will be able to determine the cause. Do not worry if it is of Osgood-Schlatter disease, is not a serious illness, it doesn't cause complications in the very large majority of cases, and pain eventually disappear. The first treatment is rest, but if we take the sport too early and not gradual, pain may recur and may therefore be much longer to heal! The child is embarrassed when the practice of sport, more or less intensely, sometimes sport can be impossible in practice. There may also be an impact in everyday life: rise of the stairs, squats... The kneeling position is very often painful, especially if there is a direct support on the anterior tibial tuberosity. The doctor finds pain on palpation of the area which is often inflated. Sometimes both knees are affected. When the child is resting on the affected Member, flexion of the knee is painful, if not impossible. It is important for the doctor to check the flexibility of the muscles located before and behind the thigh, because, the child is steep, more traction on the patellar tendon is strong, increasing risk of triggering or maintenance of this disease. Radiography is indispensable. Comparative, it allows to see exactly the State of the tibial tuberosity, which corresponds to the area of the attachment of the patellar tendon to the tibia. The appearance of the tibial tuberosity is often patchy, irregular. Sometimes, there is a small bone fragment that seems to want to move away from its original home. Radiological examples of disease of Osgood Knee is radiographed in profile with a so-called "soft" x-ray, it means less powerful to see better soft tissue (tendon, muscle etc), however, bones are only seen in silhouette. The tibial attachment of the patellar tendon which is not yet ossified, fragmented under repeated draughts caused by sports pulse. The treatment depends on the importance of clinical and radiological signs. Most often, it is a simple rest of 4 to 6 weeks. The pain remains an excellent sign for judging the evolution. While the knee is painful in support and bending on one leg, he must remain cautious. It differs so sports recovery. Very painful cases, can be led to the establishment of a splint that will allow support, knee being maintained in extension complete. The asset is usually maintained for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. Tearing of the anterior tibial tuberosity In a few exceptional cases, during a violent impulse, the young athlete may be victim of a sudden pullout of the anterior tibial tuberosity. Adolescence suffer a lot, the market is impossible, the knee is very bloated. Comparative radiography is indispensable, it confirms this pullout which requires surgical treatment of fixing of the tuberosity. An asset is necessary to enable the consolidation Then the rehabilitation to recover normal function. The resumption of the sport is performed from the fourth month