Adult Knee Pain - The Diagnostic Dilemma

Abstract

Knee pain is one of the frequent reasons adult patients seek care in primary care clinics. The cause of knee pain varies, from overuse syndrome to inflammatory diseases. The Osgood-Schlatter Disease (OSD) is one of the overuse syndromes, a condition of proximal tibial apophysitis commonly seen among physically active boys, particularly young athletes aged 10-14 years, during the highest growth spurt. The common presenting symptoms are intermittent or continuous knee pain while walking or playing the sport that involves jumping or running. This condition is self-limiting, resolves within 6-18 months after the growth plates close, and responds well with conservative treatment. However, few patients might have long term sequelae that persist into adulthood. The case report presents a case of recurring knee pain in a 35-year-old man upon his re-engagement with active sports. Clinical assessment and radiological investigation confirm his condition to be consistent with OSD. The diagnosis of OSD in this patient may be another rare case of the recurrence of the childhood condition in a skeletally mature adult.   Keywords: Osgood-Schlatter Disease, adult, knee pain.