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A Real Pain in the Knee
Osgood-Schlatters in Young Athletes
By Kelly Burgess
"The important thing to remember about Osgood-Schlatters is that it is self limiting," says Dr. Bratt. "Therefore, we don't want to do anything that will make the patient worse, even in the short term. This is why neither surgery nor injections are commonly used for this condition."
Preventing this problem from progressing to a point where the athlete has to completely stop his or her activities is fairly easy. The pain and swelling need to be treated and special exercises added to the athlete's routine to keep the condition from worsening.
The first step is to treat the pain and swelling with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen. This ingredient is found in several medications, like AdvilŽ and MotrinŽ. Ice can also help control the swelling. If the pain is bad, the child should rest and refrain from activities until it's under control. A good rule of thumb both Robinson and Dr. Bratt agree upon is not to do anything that makes the pain worse or unbearable.
