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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffThe main risk factors for Osgood-Schlatter disease are age, sex and participation in sports.
Age
Osgood-Schlatter disease occurs during puberty's growth spurts. Age ranges differ by sex because girls experience puberty earlier than do boys. Osgood-Schlatter disease typically occurs in boys ages 13 to 14 and girls ages 11 to 12.
Sex
Osgood-Schlatter disease is more common in boys, but the gender gap is narrowing as more girls become involved with sports.
Sports
Osgood-Schlatter disease affects about 20 percent of the adolescents who participate in sports, as compared with only 5 percent of adolescents who don't participate in sports. The condition happens most often with sports that involve a lot of running, jumping and swift changes in direction. Examples include:
- Soccer
- Football
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Gymnastics
- Figure skating
- Ballet
- DeLee JC, et al. Osgood-Schlatter disease. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2003. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/116712524-3/792345253/1103/929.html#4-u1.0-B0-7216-8845-4..50030-2--cesec250_3760. Accessed Jan. 15, 2009.
- Kienstra AJ, et al. Osgood-Schlatter disease. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 15, 2009.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 16, 2009.
