I remembering suffering with this condition as a teenage...

I am 42 and I know how you feel. I was diagnosed as a teenager and told that I would grow out of it. Didn't happen. In college I was playing a stand-up video game when my knee just gave way like it used to in Jr. High. I was unable to walk without severely favoring my left leg unless I wore a sleeve-type rubber brace. To strenghthen it I rode my bicycle 20 miles a day in the highest gear for several weeks until I no longer needed the extra support. I still can't crawl on my knees without pain after almost 30 years. Today (11-11-05) my family doctor advised me to start wearing a brace again because of pain and weakness and the fact that my leg gave way again so I guess it's time to start trying to strengthen up my knee (or more accurately quadriceps) again. Wish me luck!

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Hi J.L I am new to this e-mailing thing,I have just read your message re Osgood Schlatters disease,and it made interesting reading.I am 52 years old,and damaged my knees when I was only 10,playing rounders,something like your baseball.Plaster of Paris,thigh to knee,for 6 weeks,on my right leg,under an orthopaedic specialist for 7 years,and absolutely fine since, no problems at all.I did my nursing training,and am still in that profession.Through this I spend a lot of time on my knees,doing dressings etc.Earlier this year,I was off sick,and not kneeling,but for some reason,the area below my left knee developed a bursitis,with quite a lot of fluid,and pain.The doctor said it was housemaids knee,but I was sceptical.Anyway,at the beginning of Sept I was bringing washing in from the garden,and tripped over the sweeping brush,and fell in the back door,banging my swollen knee on the tiled floor,and probably fracturing a bone in my big toe,and the next toe,it was agonising the pain.I managed to crawl on my bum to the settee and put my feet up.When I had got my breath back,I realised the swelling had gone!and there was just a big, hard,bony lump below my knee,and quite painful.Back to the doctor,saw a physio who referred me to an orthopaedic specialist who I saw last week,and he told me I had Osgood Schlatters Disease,so 42 tears later I get a diagnosis.Medicine has developed so much in that time.He has told me he could operate to shave the bone away,but I have decided not to bother,he didn't seem too keen either as it would be big surgery and he couldn't guarantee me being able to kneel afterwards.So I'm leaving well alone.I've had it all these years.I tried kneeling the other day, when decorating and the knee has been painful again.Dont know what i'll do when I go back to work.I am really sorry you have had so many problems with your knee,I have been very lucky I suppose.I had no idea it was such a common thing,and it has been very interesting reading about it on the internet.I really hope you go on OK, and your knee begins to improve.Good luck with the supports,hope they work.I hope you get this,but I'm not sure with being new fangled with technology.I wont ramble on any more,take care of yourself,and that knee.Sincerely Elaine.

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Hi,

I have just read about this topic. It says that this is an adolescent condition, but I was not affected by it until I was in my 20's. I was diagnosed as having OSD at the age of 30/32. I had had a motorcycle accident some years earlier and always put the lump below my knee down to that. I had surgery to have some of the bone removed a number of years ago but to no avail. I still have the lump there just as it always was and the pain just doesn't go away, besides the pain I have to cope with the kne either locking or giving out completely. I have been unable to kneel properly for 21 years, and can't see myself doing so again.

Pain killers have never alleiviated the pain nor has resting it. i used to walk a lot when I was younger with my work up to 20 miles a day, now just a few steps is sometimes all I can manage.

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I am now 32 years of age. I was diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter's Disease when i was 14 at the time i was also told that the pain will go away by the time i turn 20. I still have pain in my knee but it seems as though i go a while with out any pain. But when the pain does show up its almost like i want to just cut off my leg. So i guess untill they come out with some kind of mirical drug i guess ill deal with the pain. Thanks everyone for your imput it makes it not so bad that i also see others dealing with the same conditions.

My 13 year old son was today diagnosed by an experienced consultant as having OSD and the advice was when it hurts rest it. He runs, plays rugby and is an ice hockey net minder.

I can sympathise as I did this while dancing about 31-32 years ago while dancing (serious strictly stuff, doing a knee slide) and could not walk unaided for a few weeks and thereafter wore a knee bandage when dancing or active. Eventually healed with a nice knobbly knee lump which can still be tender if knelt on for too long but is now one of the many injuries one has too endure as one gets older and partakes in sport or does stupid things.

Too all those suffering persevere take the anti inflammatories and pain killers treat yourself gently and eventually it will get better. As the consultant told my son everyone comes out the other side of this, just takes time.

Look on the bright side you will have a better chance of winning a knobbly knees contest.