What is osteochondritis of the tibial tuberosity?

  This disease, also known as Osgood-Schlatter disease, is common in young athletes, mostly in males, and can occur unilaterally or bilaterally. It is most commonly seen in soccer, basketball, gymnastics and skills. The age of onset is 13-15 years old and there is a history of strenuous exercise. The pain and mild swelling at the tibial tuberosity is aggravated by running, jumping and walking up and down stairs, and is relieved by rest. On examination, the patient has swelling and pressure at the tibial tuberosity, and pain at the tibial tuberosity when the knee is extended and resisted. The symptoms decrease with age and disappear when the epiphysis is completely ossified and the patellar tendon becomes rigid. However, the tibial tuberosity remains elevated. Rarely, the pain remains after the developmental period. In the early stage of the disease, there are no obvious abnormalities on X-ray, and the soft tissue shadow is slightly larger. In the middle stage, changes in density, fracture or upward movement of the nucleus can be seen. In the late stage, calcification or ossification can be seen here. In the early stage, the duration and amount of exercise should be reduced and deep squats should be avoided until the pain is relieved. If the pain is chronic and tolerable, it is not necessary to stop training, but to adjust the training content and reduce the bouncing training.  The tibial tuberosity in adolescents is the lingual epiphysis, which is the stopping point of the patellar tendon. When the epiphysis is repeatedly and strongly strained, the disease is easily triggered. The mechanism of injury may be localized strain causing hematoma, mechanization and calcification, or localized strain causing ischemia at the tibial tuberosity stop of the patellar tendon. Both mechanisms of injury may coexist, resulting in increased tension in the tendon and causing pain. Calcification and ossification within the tendon bulge the tibial tuberosity.  If long-term conservative treatment is ineffective, surgical treatment may be used.