Osgood Schlatter’s disease is an aseptic osteochondrosis of the tibial tuberosity. This means that there is a non-infectious inflammation at the cartilaginous protrusion of the tibia just below the knee joint with associated ossification disorders, and bone tissue can perish and detach. The disease mainly affects boys between 10 and 15 years of age.
In physiotherapeutic treatment, the main aim is to select exercises that protect the affected knee joint from stress and relieve the bone through targeted muscular development. If temporary immobilization is indicated, exercises can also be selected that train the patient in the use of possible aids. After a possible operation, the focus is on rehabilitative exercises that restore the strength and resilience of the leg.
Exercises for at home
The choice and intensity of the exercises at Osgood Schlatter depend on the stage of the disease. In most cases, the aim is to relieve the point where the muscles attach to the shin plateau. Stretching exercises for the M. Quadriceps Femoris, a large thigh extensor, are ideal for this purpose.
On the other hand, it is also important to strengthen the opponents. 1) Stretching exercises while standing The patient grasps the ankle of his foot on the affected side with one hand. He bends the leg and pulls the foot towards the buttocks as far as possible.
He pushes the groin forward as far as possible and tenses the buttocks. This stretches the hip and bends the knee. The quadriceps is stretched.
The position can be held for up to 30 seconds and performed 3-4 times in a row. You should feel a pull in the front thigh and the groin. 2) Stretching exercises while lying down A good alternative exercise to stretch the front thigh muscles is stretching in the lateral position.
Here the patient lies on the healthy side, the side to be stretched lies on top. As in the standing position, the patient grasps around his ankle and pulls the heel towards the buttocks. The advantage of the lateral position is that the patient can control the hip position better, because the balance problem is eliminated in the lateral position and possible shortening of the other side is no longer an issue.
Apart from the starting position, the execution of the exercise is identical. 3) Strengthening exercise in the supine position (Bridging) This is an exercise to strengthen the back thigh muscles, i.e. the opponents of the quadriceps femoris muscle. Strengthening the hip extensors and knee flexors can correct overloading of the tibia (tuberosity) caused by muscular imbalances or poor posture of the hip.
The patient lies on his back for this purpose. The legs are set at a 90 degree angle, while the arms are slightly spread apart beside the body. From this position the patient now lifts the buttocks until they form a straight line with thighs and trunk.
The tension should be built up from the buttocks and the back of the thighs. Possibly a stretching in the knee area can be felt. Later, the exercise can also be done on one leg to increase the tension.
The exercise is always performed in 3-4 sets of 12 repetitions. 4) Self-stretching with fascia roll for home Another exercise for home use can be performed with the help of a fascia roll. To stretch the front thigh and stimulate the blood circulation, the front of the thigh can be “rolled out” from the prone or half prone position using a fascia roll.
This can be slightly painful, but relieves the discomfort in the long term. Similar to stretching exercises, the movements here are performed slowly. After about 30 seconds there should be a break.
5) Strengthening the gluteal muscles Lie on your side for this exercise. The leg below is slightly bent. If you like you can lay your arms loosely on it.
Now lift the other leg backwards and then lower it again. Do 3 sets of 15 repetitions and then change sides. 6) Strengthening of the torso musculature Go into the quadruped position.
Now stretch your left leg straight back and your right arm straight forward. Make sure that your pelvis does not tilt. Hold this position for 2 seconds and then change sides.
7) Knee bends to strengthen the muscles Stand straight and upright. The legs are about shoulder width apart.Now slowly descend to the knee bend, making sure that your back remains straight and your knees do not go beyond the tips of your feet. Perform 15 squats in this way. In addition to these conventional exercises, sports that are easy on the joints, such as swimming or cycling, are also well suited to bring the muscles back to full load. You can find more exercises under: Exercises against knee pain Exercises for the knee joint Exercises for abdomen, legs, buttocks and back
All articles in this series:
