This article is about a condition that affects growing children. Let’s begin with an excerpt from osgood-schlatter.com :
Osgood-Schlatter disease is probably the most frequent cause of knee pain in children. The condition occurs most commonly between the ages of 9 and 16 but it can occur in younger children. Both boys and girls are equally vulnerable to its debilitating effects. Osgood-Schlatter disease is always characterized by activity-related pain that occurs a few inches below the knee-cap, or patella, on the front of the knee. The child will have swelling in the area, and tenderness to touch. Sports requiring lots of running, jumping, kneeling, and squatting are particularly associated. Many children first signal the start of the problem by rubbing the top of their “shinbones” with their hands, or even ice cubes, at practice sessions. The three main factors that contribute to Osgood-Schlatter are:
1.Between 9 and 16 years old
2.Involved in youth sports
3.In a “growth spurt”
The knee pain appears to be the same among those affected, but there are some differences …
The pain associated with Osgood-Schlatter condition is expected to resolve once growing is finished, so this is typically a long and intermittently painful process. When my son, Jack was 9 he experienced knee pain while playing basketball that eventually subsided. When he was 10, the pain was severe and he could not walk without assistance. He had skipped basketball season, so we had to do some investigating to figure out the cause.
The approach we took had similarities and some differences as well…
The approach taken to help Jack get through this challenge involved visits with Ryan Pack, a Rolf practitioner of Structural Integration. Working with Ryan helped to keep Jack’s body aligned since his lower leg was also caving inward with each step, throwing off the hips and spine. Jack also had acupuncture visits with his mom, where he received cupping, acupuncture with electrical stimulation and moxibustion. It was a slow process from January to May, but now he experiences less pain, less often and is walking easier and without the lower leg caving inward. Since this is a growth plate issue, Jack also supplemented with Vitamin D for bones, C for blood flow and immune system support, fish oil and quality sources of Calcium. Jack was also given specific homeopathic remedies as these are easy for children to take and dissolve under the tongue. When necessary, the knee area is wrapped for stability and ice and heat is applied. At this time, treatment is much less often and mostly for maintenance as his body grows.
Consideration for the whole person rather than a part…
By no means am I an expert on this topic, and Ryan had not seen anything exactly like this either. Both practitioners tailored treatment to Jack’s specific symptoms and made adjustments as progress was made, and as his growing body changed. Chinese medicine and Structural Integration focuses upon the entire person, without singling out a body part. Each client’s treatment integrates the whole person.
For more information about Ryan Pack and the Rolf method of Structural Integration :