Osgood-Schlatter disease

gymfreak4ever · #1 07-02-2008, 10:24 PM

For the last year I have been suffering from an inflammation of the growth plate at the tibial tuberosity, also known as Osgood-Schlatter disease. It is in both of my knees but lately has been mainly in my left. Sometimes the pain is not bad to work with, but other times I just want to drop on the floor and never get up again!

In the past I have used bio-tape but it only seemed to help my right knee. I would like to know if there are any exercises for me to do that will possibly help my pain.

lannamavity · #2 07-03-2008, 12:40 AM

I feel for you, but there isn't a whole lot you can do.

Osgood's has nothing to do with gymnastics...it's a physiological thing (and a girl "thing" to some degree as well). I've seen all kinds of contraptions, but never one which really worked.

The one thing that has helped is freezing water in Dixie Cups and rubbing the ice directly on the knee after workout.

Hang in there...it usually subsides.

gracefulone · #3 07-03-2008, 06:31 AM

I know how you feel, but lannamavity is right. You just have to hang in there and wait to grow out of it. I had it too, and if we had a meet where vault was first, the rest of my meet was pretty much shot.

gymfreak4ever · #4 07-03-2008, 06:51 AM

Ok, Thank you

gracefulone-my meet would be shot if floor was first cause I collapse on front tumbling when its at its worst, haha

gymnasticcoach · #5 07-03-2008, 03:38 PM

Two things some of my former athletes have done to help relieve osgood-schlatters are cycling and swimming.

gym law mom · #6 07-03-2008, 05:39 PM

Are you a "lefty" in the gym? If so, that would explain more pain in the left knee than the right. Stay away from pounding activities outside of gym. When was the last time a doctor checked you? If its been over 6mos, you might want to get seen again just to make sure there is nothing else going on that is causing pain. Also do ask about some physical therapy. My gymmie has had episodes of jumper's knee(same thing as O-S only in the patella) and there are some things that may help with your pain.

gymfreak4ever · #7 07-03-2008, 06:34 PM

gym law mom-
My right leg is my dominant leg and in the past that was the knee that always hurt and never my left. I have 3 days off of gym for fourth of july then im back to gym 5 days a week. My mom told my coach that she doesn't want me vaulting or tumbling unless its on the tumbletrak into the pit. I probably should go to the doctor cause I went to my school trainer for my right side but never the left.

gymnasticscoach-
I live by a lake so I will go swimming this weekend to see if that helps and I will pull out my old rusty bike and go for a ride

Thanks for the Help!

Drowning123gone · #8 07-12-2008, 06:48 PM

Actually as a lefty gymnast, I had more problems with my right knee. So I'm not to sure if that is always the case. Also being a competitive gymnast and now a coach I know the pains from osgood schlatter can come and go without any real reason.
What I have learned is that stretching, especially pike stretches helps and also after your joints get warm from tumbling or what not that the pain lessens or goes away.

MadKate · #9 07-12-2008, 08:25 PM

My front (left) leg seems to take a pounding across all sports - I've had stress fractures in my foot from gymnastics (can't remember what set that one off), then track in high school, when I tried to start running again last year, sprained that knee snowboarding, fell on it at work and bruised some cartilage (did the same to the ankle cartilage when my dad banged it between a sofa bed frame and a stair when we were carrying it!), and if I'm going to roll one, that's the one it's going to be. Epic fail on the fencing lunge. It's almost like it's cursed or something. Avoiding gymnastics is no guarantee to keep you safe!

(at my age, we're looking more at arthritis than OS now, though!)

Gym mum UK · #10 07-13-2008, 02:51 AM

My daughter (aged 11) also has osgood schlatters.

We have spent many hours (and pounds) in the room of a Physio. He managed to get the "bumps" on her knees to subside by using a TENS machine but the next gym training session would only bring it all back again.

He finally discharged us and said that she should lessen her hours in the gym and basically just listen to her body ie knees = sore, then no tumbling & vault; knees = ok then tumble and vault ok for that session.

It should apparently subside eventually but the Physio also said that there is potential of long term damage to the 'groove' (not a very technical term, sorry!) in which the patella moves, so the pain should not be taken lightly.

She has dropped her hours considerably now and is hardly sitting out any sessions. Bumps on her knees are still evident and swell up when excess tumbling happens but she is managing things herself in the gym together with supportive coaches.