The sports physicians at Children’s Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates are fellowship-trained in pediatric and adolescent sports medicine. They specialize in providing age-appropriate care of both pediatric sports and non-sports related overuse injuries.
Sinding-Larsen-Johansson (SLJ) Disease is an overuse injury of the knee commonly seen in growing, active adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15 years. It is often referred to as Jumper’s Knee and coincides with growth spurts.
Sinding-Larsen-Johansson causes pain and swelling at the lower end of the kneecap where the patellar tendon originates, caused by the increased tension and pressure applied to the kneecap during activities like running and jumping. The repetitive stresses of these activities can produce increased inflammation where the tendon attaches to bone. Tight quadriceps muscles, most common during a growth spurt, can also place increased pressure on the patellar attachment.
While there is no 100% guarantee to prevent an active adolescent athlete from developing Sinding-Larsen and Johansson Disease, warming up and stretching before and after an activity may help to prevent the development of this painful condition.
For patients who develop Sinding-Larsen-Johansson disease, treatment options include:
By using a combination of conservative treatments, pain and discomfort in the affected knee will generally resolve over time.
Dr. Drew Warnick and Dr. Paul Benfanti are board-certified sports medicine specialists at Children’s Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates, renowned for their high quality care in the treatment of pediatric over-use injuries. To learn more about Children’s Orthopaedic’s sports medicine specialties, schedule an appointment at one their four Tampa Area offices.
