Short-term effectiveness of a physiotherapy programme in young athletes with Osgood-Schlatter syndrome

Osgood-Schlatter syndrome (OSS) is a prevalent overuse injury of the patellar ligament that has recently exhibited a marked increase among young athletes. The syndrome predominantly afflicts male athletes between the ages of 10 and 15 years and female athletes between the ages of 8 and 13 years. Potential risk factors for the development of OSS include excessive sporting loads, specific types of loads, the characteristics of the sporting terrain, and the athletes' physical growth. The objective of this study was to ascertain the short-term effects of a physiotherapy-kinesiology rehabilitation program in young athletes with OSS. Twenty participants (aged 13–16 years) completed an intensive 6-week program consisting of strength training, focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (fESWT), and magnetotransduction therapy (EMMT) (18 sessions). At the commencement and conclusion of the program, a comprehensive array of data was collected, encompassing body composition, contractile properties of the anterior (rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL)) and posterior (biceps femoris (BF)) thigh muscles, and VAS pain levels. The findings of the study substantiate the salutary impacts of the rehabilitation program on young athletes afflicted with OSS. The rehabilitation program led to an increase in overall muscle mass, as well as in the dominant and non-dominant leg muscles. Additionally, it resulted in a reduction in the percentage of fat mass. Statistical analysis revealed that the dominant and non-dominant leg exhibited shorter contraction times (Tc), increased muscle tone, and decreased radial displacements of the muscle belly (Dm) in the RF, VM, VL, and BF muscles. Furthermore, the relaxation time (Tr) of the BF muscle was significantly reduced in both legs. The program also led to a substantial reduction in VAS pain levels, from 83.0±5.9.0 to 10.0±2.9, suggesting a positive impact on pain management. These findings indicate that a multimodal approach, integrating strength training, focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (fESWT), and magnetotransduction therapy (EMMT), can offer effective short-term relief and promote functional improvements for young athletes affected by OSS.