“My child's knee hurts. Is it growing pains, or something we should get checked?”
Your child finishes netball, soccer, basketball or tennis and points to a sore bump just below their kneecap. Maybe it hurts after running and jumping. Maybe it's started affecting how confidently they move.
One possible cause is Osgood-Schlatter disease, a common source of front-of-knee pain in growing young athletes. This article explains what it is, how training can be adjusted and when youth athlete physiotherapy may help.
What is Osgood-Schlatter disease?
Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is a growth-related condition affecting the tibial tuberosity — the bony bump just below the kneecap where the patellar tendon attaches. It's most often seen during adolescence, particularly in active children experiencing growth spurts.
Running, jumping and squatting repeatedly load the area where the quadriceps muscle pulls through the patellar tendon. When that load exceeds the area's current tolerance, pain and tenderness can develop.
Where does it hurt?
Usually at the small bump on the upper shin, directly below the kneecap. It may feel tender to touch or look more prominent. One or both knees can be affected.
Local tenderness
Discomfort or a sensitive bump immediately below the kneecap.
Activity-related pain
Pain during or after running, jumping, squatting or kneeling.
Variable swelling
The area may appear swollen or more prominent at times.
Flare-ups with sport
Symptoms may settle with a reduction in load, then return when activity ramps up.
OSD is usually manageable, but not every case of knee pain in a child is Osgood-Schlatter disease. If you're unsure, an assessment can help clarify the cause. Sudden severe pain, inability to bear weight, significant swelling, fever, or pain after a major injury warrants prompt medical assessment.
Why it happens: growth, load and movement
As young athletes grow, their bodies are adapting to changing bone length, muscle strength and movement coordination. Adding a busy schedule of jumping, sprinting and changing direction can increase demand on the knee.
Contributing factors can include rapid increases in training, high volumes of running or jumping, reduced quadriceps flexibility, or strength and movement-control demands that exceed current capacity.
We can't stop growth, but we can adjust training load and build the capacity to manage sport.
That means looking beyond the sore knee alone — considering the athlete's sport, training week, symptoms, strength and how they move. It's one reason sports physiotherapy takes an individual approach rather than giving every athlete the same exercise sheet.
What should your child avoid — and what can they do instead?
When knee pain appears, it's tempting to choose one of two extremes: push through everything or stop all activity. Often, a sensible middle ground is more useful.
Approaches to reconsider
- Pushing through worsening pain without modifying training
- Ignoring recurring symptoms and continuing as normal
- Extended complete rest without a plan for rebuilding activity
- Relying only on ice or a strap while overlooking workload
Better next steps
- Adjust painful running, jumping or high-impact sessions
- Keep suitable activity that doesn't aggravate symptoms
- Introduce appropriate strength and mobility exercises
- Increase sporting load gradually as symptoms allow
Can they keep playing? Some children with Osgood-Schlatter can remain active with changes to their training. Others need a more substantial reduction in impact activity for a period. The decision depends on symptoms, function and clinical assessment — not a blanket rule.
How physiotherapy supports young athletes
At Adaptive Physiotherapy & Massage in Booragoon, our goal is to help young athletes understand the problem and work towards comfortable movement and a sustainable return to sport.
Assessment
We review symptoms, training load, growth-related factors, strength and movement. We also consider whether another cause of knee pain needs attention.
Education for kids and parents
We explain why the area may be sensitive, how to respond to flare-ups and what kinds of activity modifications make sense.
Progressive strength and mobility
Exercises may focus on the quadriceps, hips, calves and trunk, with appropriate mobility and movement-control work.
Training modification
We help identify which sporting activities can continue, which may need reducing and how to build them back up.
Return-to-sport progression
When symptoms have affected training or confidence, a more structured sports rehabilitation program can provide guided progression towards sporting demands.
Hands-on treatment or taping may sometimes offer short-term symptom relief, but load management and a suitable exercise plan remain important parts of care.
For parents: supporting recovery without taking away sport
It's difficult watching a young athlete struggle with pain — particularly when sport is a big part of their identity, friendships and routine. You want to protect their knee without making them feel they are falling behind.
Four useful habits at home
- Listen early: Encourage your child to report pain rather than hide it.
- Look at the whole week: School sport, squad training and weekend games all count towards load.
- Support the plan: Help them stay consistent with prescribed exercises and agreed activity changes.
- Measure progress broadly: Comfort in everyday movement and tolerance for activity matter, not just match results.
Recovery timelines vary. Symptoms can last months and sometimes longer during growth; promising a quick or fixed recovery period wouldn't be appropriate. With guidance, activity can often be adapted while symptoms settle.
The Adaptive difference: building beyond symptom relief
At our Booragoon clinic, we combine assessment and treatment with strength-focused rehabilitation where appropriate. We help young people develop confidence in how they move and a practical plan for the sports they enjoy.
This is our approach to bridging the gap from rehabilitation to performance: supporting not just a return to activity, but the strength and movement capacity that can help them participate over the longer term.
Families from Booragoon, Myaree, Melville and nearby suburbs can access our youth athlete physiotherapy service at our single Booragoon clinic.
Growing strong, not just managing growing pains
Osgood-Schlatter disease can be frustrating, but an informed approach can help families make decisions about activity, strength work and recovery. The aim isn't to push through everything or stop unnecessarily — it's to find the right balance for your child.
If knee pain is returning after training, causing a limp or changing the way your child plays, an assessment is a good next step.
Let's help your young athlete keep moving.
Get clarity on their knee pain and an individualised plan for training, rehabilitation and return to sport.
This article is general information, not an individual diagnosis. Seek professional assessment for persistent or concerning symptoms. The best treatment plan depends on your child's presentation.