I have been diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter disease and I’ve had it chronically for more than 10 years. My knees have always been turned inward.  Last week, I hurt my knee/shin area playing soccer. What is the best course of action for these separate issues? Could they be related?

Treloar Physiotherapy Clinic: Vancouver Physiotherapy

Osgood Schlatter Disease is an overuse problem. Overuse injuries occur when a person does too much given the condition of a joint or body part at a given time. The overuse can occur over a relatively long period of time, e.g. training for a marathon, or during a single activity session, too many backhands in a single tennis match leading to tennis elbow. Osgood Schlatter’s develops in adolescents because the strength of the muscles that support the knee haven’t kept up with the increased leverage and stress caused by lengthening bones and too much stress is placed on the developing growth plate. The problem generally disappears as a person gets older and stronger but there are a number of factors that can lead to the problem sticking around.

Most of these factors can be addressed by a physiotherapist to help you get over your chronic problems. We will assess you to see which areas of your body needs strengthening. Weak hip musculature can lead to greatly increased stress at the knees because your legs rotate in too much. Without strong core musculature you will not be able to optimally recruit the hip and knee muscles. We will also assess your range of motion and posture to make sure there is nothing there that contributes to your problems. Tight hamstrings alone can really effect the stress placed on your knees. Footwear is another aspect that can have dramatic effects on your knees. We will educate you as to what to look for when choosing your shoes.

Without knowing exactly how you hurt your knee/shin in the soccer game it is hard to know if it was an overuse or an acute injury. If it has not recovered by the time you see a therapist they can easily incorporate that issue into the overall treatment plan.