Shop products for Osgood-Schlatter 
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a form of osteochondrosis, a disease of the growth centre at the end of long bones. The disease occurs in adolescence, most commonly among 10- to 15-year-old boys, and is often the result of rapid growth combined with competitive sports that overstress the knee joint. The patellar tendon, which attaches the kneecap to the tibia, is sometimes strained and partially torn from the bone by the powerful quadriceps muscles. This tearing, called avulsion, may be extremely painful and is sometimes disabling. It may occur in one or both knees. The knee is usually tender to pressure at the point where the large tendon from the kneecap attaches to the prominence below.
Checklist for Osgood-Schlatter Disease
| Rating | Nutritional Supplements | Herbs |
|---|---|---|
 |
Manganese, Vitamin B6, and Zinc (in combination) | |
Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit. Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary
studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit. For an herb, supported by traditional use but
minimal or no scientific evidence. For a supplement, little scientific support and/or minimal
health benefit. | ||
What are the symptoms of Osgood-Schlatter disease?
People with Osgood-Schlatter disease experience tenderness, swelling, and pain just below one knee that usually worsens with activity, such as going up or down stairs, and is relieved by rest. Symptoms may also include the appearance of a bony bump below the knee cap that is especially painful when pressed.
Medical treatments
In most cases, symptoms disappear without treatment when a child’s growth is completed. Healthcare providers may recommend applying ice to the knee when pain first appears in order to help relieve inflammation. Participation in sports and excessive exercise might be limited. Severe cases might require immobilization of the leg in a cast or surgical treatment.
Nutritional supplements that may be helpful
Based on the personal experience of a doctor who reported his findings,1 some physicians recommend vitamin E (400 IU per day) and selenium (50 mcg three times per day). One well-known, nutritionally oriented doctor reports anecdotally that he has had considerable success with this regimen and often sees results in two to six weeks.2
Another group of doctors has reported good results using a combination of zinc, manganese, and vitamin B6 for people with Osgood-Schlatter disease; however, the amounts of these supplements were not mentioned in the report.3 Most physicians would consider reasonable daily amounts of these nutrients for adolescents to be 15 mg of zinc, 5 to 10 mg of manganese, and 25 mg of vitamin B6. Larger amounts might be used with medical supervision.
