Your child may benefit from a course of physical therapy to help improve flexibility, strength, and balance. Physical therapy (PT) can reduce stress and strain on the knees, helping your child get back to normal activity levels.
Exercise should be the main component of a PT program for Osgood-Schlatter disease. The exercise prescription from your physical therapist should be personalized to your child’s specific needs after an initial evaluation.
This article outlines what types of exercises might be prescribed for Osgood-Schlatter disease. It discusses how these exercises can improve flexibility, strength, and balance and take pressure off the swollen area.
Stretching the quads, the muscles in front of your thighs, can help take pressure off structures in the knee. This includes the area of the patellar tendon, which connects the kneecap and shinbone, and the tibial tubercle, a bony bump at the end of the shinbone.
An easy exercise for children to do is the towel quad stretch. To perform the stretch, lie on your stomach, and bend your knee up as far as possible. Loop a towel around your ankle, and grasp the towel to gently pull your knee up further. You should feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds, and then release slowly. Repeat three times.
Stretching your hamstrings can be an important part of your Osgood-Schlatter exercise plan. Performing the towel hamstring stretch or a standing hamstring stretch are simple ways to improve the flexibility of these muscles.
Hold each stretch for 15 seconds and repeat three times for each stretch.
Working on calf stretches can help improve the flexibility of your lower legs, leading to a decrease in knee pain while running.
Be sure to hold your stretches for about 15 seconds and repeat each one three times. Stretches should be done slowly and gently and should be stopped if pain is felt.
Keeping your leg muscles strong can help keep stress and strain to a minimum at the painful areas in the front of your knees. Your physical therapist will work with you on which exercises you should do. These may include:
Knee exercises Hip strengthening Ankle strengthening
Most people benefit from doing 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise a few times a week.
This may place excessive strain on the knees, especially during high-level sports and activities. Keeping balance in tip-top shape may help lessen the pain that your child feels in his or her knees.
Balance exercises may include:
The single-leg stance, in which you stand on one foot The T-stance, where you stand on foot and lean forward with your leg extended behind you and arms outstretched The BAPS board, an irregularly shaped disc that’s unsteady when you stand on it
Proprioception exercises require situations where you feel off-balance, so safety is important at all times. Check with your physical therapist to find the best way to accomplish this task.
Summary
If your child has Osgood-Schlatter disease, physical therapy may help relieve symptoms. It can also help improve balance, strength, and flexibility.
A physical therapist will help your child develop an individualized exercise plan. Some of the exercises may include stretching the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. They may also include exercises to strengthen leg muscles and work on balance.
The therapist will work with your child to make sure these exercises are done in a correct, safe manner.
A Word From Verywell
If your child has knee pain, check in with your pediatrician to get an accurate diagnosis and start on the right treatment.
Physical therapy can and should be a part of treatment for Osgood-Schlatter disease. Your therapist can teach exercises like the ones in this program. These can relieve stress and strain on the knees and help your child get back to normal activities quickly and safely.
