As children grow, it is quite common for them to suffer from knee problems that present as quite similar to arthritis. A common example of this is something called Osgood-Schlatter, which affects the wellbeing of around 20 percent of younger athletes. Osgood-Schlatter is a pain which affects the wellness of the knees by causing pain in the leg bone. It is related to tight muscles pulling at one of the leg’s growing centres whilst the body is still in the process of growing.
As well as being related to normal athleticism, this pain can also be caused by suffering from a traumatic incident such as an injury on the sports field or having a collision with a fellow athlete. The majority of the time, however, the pain does not appear to be as a result of a specific injury that it can be traced back to, but is rather a repercussion caused by the normal growing process.
During growth, bones get longer and the muscles need to stretch to span the full length of the leg. This can be problematic, and can cause a great deal of pain. The key to avoiding it, however, is not to wait until it occurs and then look for a cure, but rather to focus on prevention, and this comes in the form of strengthening your core and doing effective stretching.
Your core relates to all of the muscles in your torso, which includes your back, abdominals, upper thighs and hips. It is your central foundation and it stabilises your whole body. Having a strong core is vital for perfect motion during any athletic activity. If it is weak, joints don’t line up correctly and stresses and strains on ligaments can start to occur. This most commonly affects the knees.
Core strengthening can be carried out by doing sit ups and planks, but you must also remember to exercise the hip muscles as they make up an important part of the core.