Understanding the Interactions Between Loading, Pain Dynamics, and Imaging Characteristics for Osgood Schlatter: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Osgood Schlatter's disease (OSD) is characterized by pain at the tibial tuberosity provoked during knee-loading activities, and is common in adolescent athletes. The aim of this study was to characterize clinical, pain and ultrasound imaging characteristics in participants with OSD compared to controls. This cross-sectional study included adolescents diagnosed with OSD and matched controls. Following baseline evaluation including ultrasound, participants completed the following aggravating activities in a randomized order: single-leg isometric knee hold, single-leg squat, single-leg vertical jump, hopping, running, cutting, lunges, and walking. Participants rated pain intensity on a numeric rating scale (0-10; no pain to worst pain imaginable) and localization during activities. We included 35 participants with OSD (48.5% females, age 13.0 [SD 1.5]) and 21 controls (47.6% females, age 13.4 [SD1.4]). Doppler signal was more prevalent in OSD participants at the tendon (77% vs. 30%) and tuberosity (29% vs. 10%). Tendon thickness was greater in OSD at distal (mean difference = 4.5 mm 95% CI 1.5-7.5) and proximal sites (mean difference = 4.2 95% CI 0.1-8.3). Aggravating activities induced higher pain in OSD. The greatest differences between OSD and control were the dynamic single-leg squat (mean difference = 4.2 (95% CI 3.22-5.1)). Pain was localized at the tibial tuberosity and patellar tendon during activities. Sex, sports participation, bilateral pain, and Doppler were associated with greater pain during aggravating activities. Single-leg activities loading the tibial tuberosity through the tendon appear to provoke OSD-related pain more than other sports specific movements. This may be useful to guide adolescents on which activities are likely to aggravate pain.