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Osgood-Schlatter's Disease
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Apophysitis of tibial tuberosity
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Osgood-Schlatter disease is a painful inflammation of the tibial tuberosity (the bump at the top of shin bone, the tibia, just below the kneecap). This is a common cause of knee pain in children between the ages of 10-15.
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- Osgood-Schlatter disease may affect one or both knees, affecting both knees about in about 50% of the cases.
- Local pain, swelling and tenderness just below the knee
- Pain is made worse by activity, such as jumping, squatting, stair-climbing and running
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Osgood-Schlatter disease usually occurs in young adolescent boys, and is extremely rare after the age of 16. It is believed that the disease causes minor trauma or stress on the growing tibial tuberosity from the pull of the large muscles of thigh, which attach to the shin bone just below the knee, resolving itself with the closure of the epiphyseal plate.
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An X-Ray of the knee shows the fragmented bone anterior to the tibia. There is a localized pain during the palpation of the bump on the tibia.
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- Pain control -- rest the knee, ice packs, pain-killers such as aspirin and ibuprofen
- If the pain is severe and persistent, kneepads or an elastic knee brace is helpful to reduce the stress on the shinbone.
- The patient should avoid any activities that may cause pain
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It is a self-limiting disease. The prognosis for complete restoration and relief from pain is good.
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