My nephew was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease. What is it and how can he be cured?

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a problem that affects some children and adolescents, usually the more active or athletic children. The term "disease" is a bit misleading because it is not a disease but an injury caused by over use. Doctors aren't entirely sure what causes it but the general consensus is that the powerful muscles around the knee begin to pull and pull the tendons away from the tibia, or shin bone.

OSD can be quite painful, but the good news is that it almost always heals with conservative treatment. That means that surgery is rarely needed. Children with OSD are advised to limit their activity to give their knee a chance to heal. Surgery is usually only considered if the knee does not appear to be healing.