My Knee

My Knee.

My knee is a special knee. It has this thing called Osgoods Schlatters Disease.

Also known as apophysitis of the tibial tubercle, or lannelongues disease.  It’s basically a painful bump under your knee. Most often seen in young men, but is showing more in women due to the fact girls are taking part in more sports.

It’s when there is a inflammation of the bone, cartilage and/or tendon at the top of the shinbone. Where the tendon from the kneecap attaches. Most often only one knee is affected, I feel sorry for anyone with it in both knees. Because when it hurts, it hurts.

In kid terms, basically a bump appears and it hurts.

Most likely, when you get it you’ve been involved in running, twisting and jumping. Such as basketball, football, volleyball, soccer, tennis, figure skating and gymnastics. I got mine at age 9, doing gymnastics, running, jumping, twisting and netball.

It can also happen when you’re growing rapidly. Which makes this most common with girls between ages 8 to 13 for girls and 10 to 15 for boys.

Once you get it, you might be experiencing extreme pain for the first 7 months.

The other symptoms are

• The pain getting worse with more exercise
• Relief of pain with rest
• Swelling or tenderness under the knee and over the shinbone
• Limping after exercise
• Tightness of the muscles around the knee.

Sadly, I had every single one. This caused me to stop doing my one and a half hour lessons after school for circus. Which was mostly just trapeze and tissue. (aka the tissue is rope thingys) Also making me quit or stop doing fitness & sports regularly.

Even though the disease sounds painful, it isn’t in daily life. As long as you don’t overwork it or bang it, it should be fine. My advice is just take it easy, check with a doctor is your not sure and if you’re a sport freak. Maybe calm it down a little.

By Lucy