- Traction apophysitis of the tibial tubercle (Osgood Schlatter’s Disease) and the distal pole of the patella (the less common Sinding-Larsen-Johannson Syndrome) are self-limiting conditions which will burn out over time.
- There is no surgical treatment for acute presentations in adolescence and therefore we do not see such cases.
- Physiotherapy with an eccentric-based progressive loading programme and activity modification may help.
- Occasionally, adults with previous Osgood-Schlatter’s Disease may have an unstable accessory ossicle or distal patellar tendon pain from impingement. For such cases resistant to physiotherapy, MRI scan is indicted to look for fluid signal around any unstable ossicle or around the patellar tendon.
- We may consider surgery for recalcitrant cases although outcomes are unpredictable.
Osgood Schlatter's Disease & Sinding-Larsen-Johannson Syndrome
Useful Resources
NICE CKS Summary (Useful information re typical presentation etc)
NICE CKS Management Advice (Specific guidance re levels of activity etc)
Exercise sheet for Osgood-Schlatter's
NICE CKS Management Advice (Specific guidance re levels of activity etc)
Exercise sheet for Osgood-Schlatter's