If your 12-year-old complains of knee pain during gym class, pay attention: His discomfort could be a sign of Osgood-Schlatter disease, an annoying but usually harmless ailment that strikes adolescents during periods of rapid growth.
According to Dr. Mark Widome, a professor of pediatrics at Pennsylvania State University, Osgood-Schlatter disease is typically triggered by stress on the knees from physical exertion - especially running or jumping. Symptoms include pain, tenderness and swelling around the knobby tip of the shin bone (the tibial tuberosity), which protrudes from the shin about an inch and a half below the kneecap. "Because the tibial tuberosity is in an area that grows very rapidly during puberty, it can become inflamed when the tendons attached to the kneecap pull excessively," Widome says.This swelling will usually subside within a week, but the condition may recur during a subsequent growth spurt. Boys ages 11 to 14 are particularly susceptible to the condition, because their growth spurts tend to be more rapid than girls', says Dr. I. Ronald Shenker, chief of the division of adolescent medicine at Schneider Children's Hospital in New York.
If a youngster complains of persistent knee pain, parents should consult a physician to rule out other more serious conditions, such as an infected joint or a tumor, says Dr. James Pritchett, an orthopedic surgeon in Seattle. In most cases, ibuprofen or an ice pack will ease the pain and swelling. But it's also essential for a child to avoid vigorous activity until the pain subsides. "Continuing to overstress the knee could lead to serious complications, such as a torn tendon or a fractured joint," warns Pritchett. To minimize movement, it sometimes helps to tape the knee for a few days. (The physician can show parents how.) In the unlikely event that the condition persists for more than 16 weeks, a cast may be recommended to immobilize the area.
For a child who hates to sit still, a bout with Osgood-Schlatter disease can be a frustrating experience. But in the vast majority of cases, the condition is no more than a brief nuisance. It helps to think of an adolescent's knees as a barometer for growth, and to urge him to follow Widome's advice: "Listen to your body - and stop when it tells you to stop."