Osgood-Schlatter Program for Female Athletes Suffering Knee Pain

25 Aug Osgood-Schlatter Program for Female Athletes Suffering Knee Pain

Posted at 14:33h in Blog, Female Athletes, Knee Injuries, Uncategorized by erica 0 Comments

You feel a dull pain just below your knee cap.

“It’s no biggie,” you say.

So you continue to play, and you get away with it for some time. You’re still doing fine, and your performance is still the same. Your playing hasn’t suffered, so you ignore the feeling in your knee and just get on with your life.

Then, after months of playing and pushing through, your knee amounts into a sharp, unbearable pain. You wonder what’s going on. You don’t remember a specific instance where you hurt it, or twisted it, or made a bad cut. The pain just appeared like a bomb.

“It’s just growing pains,” everyone around you says.

“This is normal…you’ll get through it,” more people say.

So you keep going, playing as hard as you can, plowing through, despite the pain becoming more excruciating by the day.

Just because knee pain during your growth spurt is common, doesn’t mean it’s good to continue to push through.

Just because knee pain during your growth spurt is common, doesn't mean it's good to continue to push through. Share on X

So you have 3 options to get pain-free once and for all:

1. Decrease playing load

2. Increase strength and recovery workouts

3. BOTH #1 and #2

I know you don’t want to decrease the amount you play your sport. You don’t want to miss practice, nor do you wish to be on the sideline during games. You don’t want to fall behind. You don’t want to be away from your teammates.

I get it, but you need to ask yourself the question, “do I want to get healthy or not?”

It’s a tough question, but where do you want to be a year from now? What are your long-term goals for your sport?

You could succumb to your need for instant gratification now, but at what price? Your knee to get worse? You to get more agonized from the pain you’re in?

Or perhaps, your long-term goals are valuable and they matter to you, so you’re willing to make a sacrifice right now.

When I was a teenage athlete, I suffered from a stress fracture in my back from playing both lacrosse and soccer during the Spring, no days off. The moment I felt pain, was the moment I sought out a PT and strengthening program. Mind you, I also drastically revamped my nutrition plan to include more calcium, magnesium and vitamin D to build more durable bones. Everything needed to be totally overhauled.

Sure, I could’ve followed my selfish desires to not miss out on games, and I could’ve ignored the pain because I was getting away with playing just fine. I could’ve pushed through and remained ignorant.

Alas, I am glad I didn’t because the fracture would’ve become far worse, and would’ve prolonged my recovery even more. Thankfully, I was in middle school during this time, and I realized if I wanted to be healthy for the varsity high school tryouts, I needed to take time off now for my future self. Looking back, I’m proud of my decision to get healthy.

If you feel pain in your knee, whether it is dull or severe, you need to take action immediately and do one of the three options listed above: decrease playing load, start strengthening the muscles that safeguard the knee, or BOTH.

Here are some movements you can do to alleviate your Osgood-Schlatter pain. Please do these religiously, several times a week, until you are pain-free:

Quad Foam Roll

Nasal Breathing

Lunge Isometric

Hip Bridge

SL RDL

SL Bridge Hold

Heel Walkout

SL Squat

Calf Raises

To get a more comprehensive program with sets and reps, check one out HERE, or hire a PT, as well as a strength coach quick to get more specific programming and volume.

Please don’t wait.

The short-term cost of taking off to get stronger, will be worth the long-term benefit of having vibrant health and performance.

The short-term cost of taking off to get stronger, will be worth the long-term benefit of having vibrant health and performance. Share on X

Do you have deeper questions on training, recovery, and nutrition?

BOOK A ONE HOUR ZOOM PERFORMANCE CONSULT CALL WITH ME (for players, teams, and coaches) HERE