As a junior athlete, sustaining an injury can be devastating, particularly when it hinders your ability to participate in your favourite sport. One such injury that is common among young basketball players is Osgood-Schlatter disease, a condition characterised by pain and inflammation in the knee joint. Fortunately, with the help of a sports physiotherapist, junior athletes can recover from Osgood-Schlatter disease and get back to playing the game they love. 

What is Osgood-Schlatter disease?

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a condition that primarily affects young athletes who participate in sports that involve a lot of running, jumping, and sudden changes of direction, such as basketball. It is caused by repetitive stress on the patella tendon, which attaches the kneecap to the shinbone. The repeated stress leads to inflammation and pain in the knee joint, especially at the point where the patella tendon attaches to the shinbone.

How can a sports physiotherapist help?

Sports physiotherapists are experts in treating sports-related injuries and helping athletes recover from them. In the case of Osgood-Schlatter disease, a sports physio can provide a range of treatment options to alleviate pain and promote healing and get athletes back to sport (Bezuglov, E. N., Tikhonova, А. А., Chubarovskiy, P. V., Repetyuk, А. D., Khaitin, V. Y., Lazarev, A. M., & Usmanova, E. M., 2020). 

Hoops Physio can help by: 

• Providing a diagnosis and assessment of the injury and then develop a personalised treatment plan
• Design a program that helps alleviate pain and focuses on strengthening and stretching the muscles around the knee, as well as improving speed, power and agility. 
• Educating a client on injury prevention, including warm up/cool down routines, footwear and training load advice 
• Utilising the state of the art facilities that Hoops City has to offer including a well equipped gym and testing technology. 

At Hoops Physiotherapy, we understand how important basketball is to junior athletes. That's why we work closely with each athlete to develop a treatment plan that is tailored to their specific needs and goals. If your child is experiencing knee joint pain from playing basketball, don't wait to seek treatment. Contact Hoops Physiotherapy today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced sports physiotherapists. Together, we can help your child recover from their injury and get back to playing the sport they love.