Stretching Guide for Osgood-Schlatter Disease: Improve Mobility & Pain
Lengthen out the muscle with stretching to reverse the tightness that is pulling on your Osgood and causing the pain right?
Not so fast.
Stretching be incredibly effective as part of fixing your Osgood-Schlatter Disease, but you have to use the right stretches, at the right time, in the right way.
When young athletes develop Osgood-Schlatter Disease, stretching often seems like the obvious solution. After all, if tight muscles are pulling on your knee and causing pain, surely stretching those muscles will help? While mobility work is indeed crucial for recovery, the timing and type of stretching matter significantly more than most people realize.
This guide draws from our experience helping thousands of athletes recover from Osgood-Schlatter Disease. We'll show you not just which stretches can help, but more importantly, when and how to introduce them safely into your recovery program.
This information is educational only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new exercise routine, especially when dealing with growth-plate related conditions like Osgood-Schlatter Disease.
Why Stretching (Too Soon) Can Make Your Osgood Worse
Many athletes make the mistake of aggressively stretching their quadriceps muscles as soon as they develop Osgood-Schlatter symptoms. While this might seem logical, it often leads to increased pain and slower recovery.
Treating Osgood Schlatter isn’t that easy, and aggressive stretching can make it worse. This is one reason why many doctors and physical therapists advise that the only treatment of Osgood is total rest or even surgery. (Thankfully we think in most cases they are wrong!)
The problem lies in how stretching affects the already sensitive tibial tuberosity - the growth plate area just below your knee where the patellar tendon attaches. When you stretch the quadriceps, you're directly pulling on this attachment site. If you're in an acute phase of Osgood-Schlatter Disease, this pulling can further irritate the already inflamed area.
We want to gently increase the length of muscles pulling on the knees, but we need to avoid irritating the tendon by pulling on it directly, or putting direct pressure on the sore part with kneeling.
(We explain details of the attachment site and much more in our article about what causes Osgood Schlatter Disease)
Foam Rolling - Increase Mobility Without Pulling on the Osgood site
Before introducing any stretching, we start our athletes with foam rolling. This technique allows you to improve muscle length and mobility without directly pulling on the sensitive growth plate area.
Foam rolling works differently than stretching - instead of creating length through pulling, it uses gentle pressure to release tension in the muscle tissue itself. This makes it a safer starting point for improving mobility when you have Osgood-Schlatter Disease.
Unlike stretching, foam rolling:
- Doesn't create direct tension through the patellar tendon
- Allows you to control pressure easily
- Can provide immediate relief without risking further irritation
- Prepares your muscles for the eventual introduction of gentle stretching
You can go deeper on about foam rolling for Osgood here →
Best Stretching Exercises for Osgood Schlatter
The following stretches form part of our comprehensive Osgood-Schlatter treatment program. While we're sharing these stretches to help you understand the recovery process, remember that timing and technique are crucial. These stretches should be introduced gradually and modified based on your symptoms - what works for one athlete may need adjustment for another.
NOTE: None of these exercises are included in week 1 of our online Osgood program, while incredibly effective stretches, they involve kneeling on the ground, which can be triggering for sore knees, even when using the recommended cushion for support.
It is absolutely critical to use a soft knee pad like this one when performing this stretch.
Crouching Adductor Stretch
The adductor is a muscle in the upper leg which contributes to mobility issues, but because the adductor doesn’t directly attach at the site that causes Osgood we start using this stretch early on in our treatment plan to gain additional knee and hip mobility.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Tight hip flexors not only pull on the tendons of the knee directly but also contribute to poor movement patterns. This can even reduce your speed and jumping ability.
Early in a treatment plan it is possible to start using a gently hip flexor stretch to start improving load bearing.
Lying Glute Stretch
The glutes tend to react poorly to Osgood due to changes in running and walking patterns. This means they get tight, and can inhibit good movement.
Later on in a treatment plan it makes sense to give some attention to ensuring the glutes are strong and flexible.
Kneeling Rec Fem (Quad) Stretch
This advanced stretch is a key part of our Osgood Schlatter Treatment program however it is only introduced much later in the program after weeks of progressive training leading up to it.
DO NOT DO THIS WITH ACUTE OSGOOD KNEE PAIN.
An advanced but critical stretch of Osgood treatment. There is significant risk using this stretch too early and making symptoms worse. Again it is critical to use a knee pad here.
Standing Calf Stretch
Calves don’t get a lot of attention in Osgood Schlatter treatments, and this is a shame.
Later in the process athletes will be learning new movement patterns, requiring athletes have more “spring” in their gait. The calf plays a big role here, so it is good practice to introduce some calf stretching to keep them nice and happy!
Troubleshooting Your Osgood Stretches
Even with the best stretching routine, you might encounter some challenges along the way. Here's how to ensure you're stretching safely and effectively for your Osgood-Schlatter recovery. These guidelines come from our experience helping thousands of athletes successfully navigate their recovery journey.
Do Not Stretch Through Sharp Muscular Pain or Direct Knee Pain
Pain during stretching isn't "just part of the process" - it's your body's warning signal. While a mild tension or stretching sensation in the muscle is normal during stretching, sharp pain or direct discomfort in your knee is a clear sign to stop.
Listen to your body:
- Sharp pain = stop immediately
- Dull ache = reduce intensity
- Pulling sensation = okay if mild
- Direct knee pressure = modify position
In our Osgood-Schlatter treatment program, we teach athletes how to distinguish between productive stretching sensations and potentially harmful pain. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution.
Always Stay Relaxed When Stretching
Tension is the enemy of effective stretching. Many athletes make the mistake of forcing their stretches or fighting hard in their positions, this urgency to do more with the stretch is counterproductive and actually prevents the stretch from working effectively.
Think of stretching as a gentle unwinding rather than a forceful lengthening:
- Keep your breathing slow and steady
- Let your bodyweight and gravity do the work
- Release any unnecessary muscle tension
- Adjust the stretches to find the most comfortable position, reducing range of motion if needed
- Focus on feeling the stretch rather than reaching for a specific position
Do Not Bounce or Swing When Stretching
Static holding of stretches is crucial to make the flexibility adaptations needed when dealing with Osgood-Schlatter Disease. Bouncing or swinging movements can create unpredictable forces through your knee, potentially aggravating your symptoms.
Remember, the goal of stretching isn't to see how far you can push your body - it's to gradually improve mobility and flexibility.
Why Stretching Alone Is Not Enough to Fix Your Osgood
While proper stretching plays an important role in Osgood-Schlatter recovery, it's just one piece of a larger puzzle. Many athletes and parents focus solely on stretching, believing that tight muscles are the root cause of their pain. However, our experience with thousands of athletes has shown that a more comprehensive approach is essential to fix Osgood and eliminate your pain.
Tight muscles are often weak muscles
There is a myth that strength exercises make muscles tighter.
In fact, the exact opposite is actually true!
When we strengthen our muscles we actually increase our mobility at the connected joints. Our bodies are incredibly intuitive, if the brain senses that you do not have enough strength around a joint (say the knee) it will restrict movement and mobility in that joint as a guarding mechanism. This stiffness or tightness becomes a protective mechanism, something that we need to retrain gradually through a combination of strengthening, stretching and movement skill practice.
Learn more about this in our detailed guide to training and exercises for Osgood-Schlatter Disease.
Recovering from Osgood-Schlatter and then preventing future relapses requires a carefully integrated approach that includes:
- Strategic mobility work and stretching
- Progressive strength training
- Movement pattern retraining
- Load management strategies
- Proper exercise sequencing
Professional Osgood Training Program
After years of helping athletes overcome Osgood-Schlatter Disease, we've refined our approach into a comprehensive online treatment program. Our program takes the guesswork out of recovery by showing you exactly when and how to integrate stretching alongside other crucial elements of rehabilitation.
Don't let confusion about stretching hold back your recovery from Osgood-Schlatter Disease. Join thousands of athletes who have successfully overcome their knee pain with our proven program.
