Osgood-Schlatter Disease eMedicine Orthopedics

Description: Osgood-Schlatter (OS) disease is more appropriately described as a disorder or a condition. Osgood, in the English literature, and Schlatter, in the German literature, independently described this condition in 1903. The etiology and treatment of OS condition have been disputed since its original description. OS condition is a traction phenomenon resulting from repetitive quadriceps contraction through the patellar tendon at its insertion upon the skeletally immature tibial tubercle. This occurs in preadolescence during a time when the tibial tubercle is susceptible to strain. OS condition should be distinguished from overuse of the patella-patellar tendon junction, which is referred to as Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome (the adolescent equivalent of jumper's knee).
Synonyms and related keywords: Osgood-Schlatter condition, tibial tubercle apophyseal traction injury, OSD, OS condition
Author: J Andy Sullivan, MD 2007