Osgood-Schlatter Disease in Dancers
Whether you’re a dancer experiencing this yourself, or a parent or teacher of a young dancer experiencing Osgood-Schlatter’s disease, you’re likely wondering what can be done to decrease discomfort without needing to stop dancing entirely.
The good news is, in most cases, the discomfort can be managed with a proper stretch & strengthening program, and by educating our dancers on knowing when and how to modify movement that aggravates it.
So what is Osgood-Schlatter’s disease?
It’s a common overuse injury that causes pain, discomfort, swelling, and in some cases a bony lump just below the kneecap that is tender to touch.
Why does it happen?
Children and adolescents have areas of soft cartilage at the ends of their bones called growth plates, which will eventually fuse as they age. Prior to fusing, however, these areas are weaker than solid bone, making them easily irritated and inflamed by constant strain/stress. Running, jumping, and fast changes in direction (all of which are common in dance) place repetitive strain on the knee joint and demand use of the quadriceps muscles, which connect to the kneecap, which connects to the shinbone via the patellar tendon. The quadriceps muscles can become tight in growing dancers, and can be overused, meaning that the patellar tendon is being pulled hard, repeatedly. Because this is happening over a growth plate, it can irritate it, leading to pain, inflammation and sometimes a prominent bony lump.
So what can I do?
Step one is always going to get it looked at by a healthcare professional who understands dancers, not someone who’s just going to tell them to stop dancing entirely (because we all know that’s not going to happen). The Healthy Dancer Canada Member Directory is a great resource for finding physiotherapists, chiropractors, athletic therapists, and more, who have dance-specific experience and expertise.
Is stopping dancing the answer?
Not necessarily. Osgood-Schlatters can be managed in dance through modifying jump-heavy training, strengthening the surrounding hip and leg muscles, and, in some cases, periods of rest to give the area time to recover.
Dance modifications:
Reduce high-impact movements: Decreasing repetitive jumping (think allegro in ballet, jazz leaps and anything with hard landings such as acro tricks) and avoiding them altogether when the knees are acutely tender can be helpful in managing pain without stopping dancing completely.
Zero in on your technique: With the help of a skilled teacher, modifications in your technique and movement patterns can greatly assist in managing pain and decreasing discomfort. Proper knee tracking, avoiding sinking into the lower back, and other strength/flexibility compensations can all make a huge difference.
Stretching & strengthening:
Strengthen the glutes and hips
Stretch the quadriceps and hip flexors
Cross train safely & effectively (focus on low-impact options like swimming, cycling, mat pilates, etc. to maintain fitness without further aggravating the knee)
Pain management & recovery:
Supportive taping: Can be done by an experienced healthcare professional to help redistribute stress off the knee joint
Proper hydration & sleep: Two of the easiest components of recovery that are often the two most neglected. Ensuring you (or your dancer) are drinking adequate water and getting good quality sleep is huge in managing pain.
Listen to the body: Whether you’re experiencing this yourself or you have a child or student experiencing it, it’s important that the dancer does not try to dance through the pain. Dancers need to be able to distinguish between discomfort that can be managed through modifications and recovery tools, and pain that is going to worsen their condition. Ignoring serious symptoms can prolong Osgood-Schlatters, which is why it’s integral for dancers to be smart about how they’re managing it.
At the end of the day, the most important thing to remember is that if managed properly, Osgood-Schlatters’ typically resolves itself as you age. If you’re an instructor, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms so you can best modify your classes to ensure your dancers’ health and safety, and if you’re a dancer, it’s important to learn how to recognize the red flags and to reduce your training load when symptoms are aggravated.
Train stronger, dance longer <3