‍ Front Knee Pain in Children — It’s Not Just “Growing Pain”

If your child complains of pain just below the knee after sports or running, it might be easy to brush it off as “growing pain.” But in many cases, it’s actually Osgood-Schlatter Disease (OSD) — a common cause of front knee pain in active children and young teens aged 9–15 years old.

The good news? With early physiotherapy for kids, your child can recover fully, stay active, and prevent long-term complications.

 What Is Osgood-Schlatter Disease?

Osgood-Schlatter Disease occurs when the tendon connecting the kneecap (patella) to the shinbone (tibia) becomes overused or strained.

It’s often seen in children who are active in running or jumping sports, such as football, basketball, or badminton. The condition causes pain, swelling, and a small bump below the knee joint, right where the tendon attaches to the tibial bone.

Many parents notice child knee pain after sports or training sessions — especially when climbing stairs, kneeling, or jumping. Some even report that their child cries after sports class at school because the front of the knee becomes painful or sore. This is often an early sign of irritation at the tibial tuberosity, not just ‘growing pains.

Why Does It Happen?

During rapid growth spurts, children’s bones grow faster than their muscles and tendons can adapt. This creates tension around the knee — especially when combined with repetitive sports activity or poor biomechanics.

Common causes include:

Tight quadriceps or hip flexors
Weak hip extensors or stabilisers
Poor running or jumping technique
Overtraining without adequate rest

When these factors combine, the patellar tendon repeatedly pulls on the tibial tuberosity, leading to inflammation and irritation — the classic “front knee pain” kids feel after physical activity.

How Physiotherapy Helps

Physiotherapy does more than just relieve pain — it targets the root cause of your child’s knee problem.

At Benphysio, our physiotherapists help children recover through:
Stretching tight muscles — especially the quadriceps and hip flexors
Strengthening weak hip extensors and core muscles
Correcting movement and running form to prevent strain
Educating families about safe exercise habits and recovery routines

These personalised treatments not only ease pain but also reduce the risk of recurrence, helping your child move confidently and enjoy sports again. ‍

Benphysio’s Approach to Juvenile Knee Pain

At Benphysio Malaysia, we take a manual therapy–focused approach to treating juvenile knee pain and Osgood-Schlatter disease.

Our therapists use hands-on techniques such as Manual Therapy and Myofascial Release to restore proper muscle balance, improve joint alignment, and relieve tension naturally — without relying solely on machines.

We’re here to help your child regain pain-free movement and keep doing what they love.

FAQ

1 Is Osgood-Schlatter Disease serious?

No — it’s common and treatable, but early physiotherapy helps prevent lasting pain or bone changes.

2 Can my child continue sports?

Yes, with the right balance of training, stretching, and recovery — guided by a physiotherapist.

3 How long does recovery take?

Typically a few months, depending on activity levels and how closely the exercise plan is followed.

4 Does it affect adulthood?

Usually not. With proper management, most children grow out of it and return to full function without issues.

Helping Children Move Better, One Step at a Time

At Benphysio, we believe physiotherapy is more than just machines — it’s about understanding how the body moves, heals, and grows. Whether it’s Osgood-Schlatter disease, sports injuries, or child knee pain after sports, our goal is to help kids build confidence through safe, effective, and lasting recovery.
 

Professional SportsMassage in Malaysia

Relieve Muscle Pain. Enhance Recovery. Boost Performance

Available at: Oval Damansara, Bangsar, KL Ampang, Cheras, Puncak Alam, Ayer Keroh Melaka, Mount Austin Johor & Iskandar Puteri Johor

Book Your Session now!

 

Expert Physiotherapy & Sports Recovery Near You – We offer sports massage, deep tissue therapy, injury rehabilitation, and recovery programs for conditions such as back pain, neck pain, slipped discs, knee pain, sciatica, and sports injuries. Whether you’re an athlete, recovering from surgery, or managing chronic pain, our personalised treatments help you move better, recover faster, and stay active.
At our clinic, we provide a full range of physiotherapy and sports recovery services to support your health and performance. Our treatments include sports massage, deep tissue massage, sports injury massage, rehabilitation massage, recovery massage, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, mobility massage, kinesiology massage, and targeted therapy for sprains, strains, and muscle tension. We also offer pre-event and post-event sports massage, manual therapy for athletes, and injury prevention programs.
We treat a wide variety of conditions, including back pain, lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, stiff neck, slipped discs (L4L5), scoliosis, spinal pain, sciatica, nerve pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, ACL injuries, knee arthritis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, headaches, migraines, jaw pain, TMJ disorders, sports injuries, posture issues, pregnancy pain, frozen shoulder, and post-surgery rehabilitation. We also address gastric issues, bloating, shortness of breath, foot cramps, and numbness.
Conveniently located across Malaysia, we welcome clients from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, and Pahang — including key areas such as KLCC, Bangsar, Cheras, TTDI, Mont Kiara, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Puchong, Klang, Ayer Keroh, Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Skudai, Kuantan, and more. If you’re nearby, you’re close enough to benefit from our professional physiotherapy services. Book your appointment today and take the first step towards a stronger, pain-free you.
 

Location:

Benphysio @ Oval Damansara
016-390 2015  WhatsApp
Unit 2-1 & 2-2, 2nd Floor, Oval Damansara, Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur

Benphysio @ Puchong
010-253 2015  WhatsApp
40-G, Jalan Puteri 1/2, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor

Benphysio @ Bangsar
010-263 2015  WhatsApp
17, Persiaran Ara Kiri, Lucky Garden, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur

Benphysio @ KL Ampang
010-283 2015  WhatsApp
Lot G.09, Ground Floor, The Grange @ Ampwalk, 218, Jalan Ampang, 55000 Kuala Lumpur

Benphysio @ Cheras
010-287 2015  WhatsApp
213, Jalan Sarjana, Taman Connaught, 56000 Kuala Lumpur

Benphysio @ Kota Damansara Giza
016-439 2015  WhatsApp
C-11-G, Sunway Giza Mall, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 47810 Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Benphysio @ Puncak Alam
016-732 2015  WhatsApp
No. 25, Jalan Niaga Bestari 7, Puncak Bestari, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor

Benphysio @ Ayer Keroh Melaka
018-985 2015  WhatsApp
No. 1, Pusat Komersial, C-G-9, Jalan Pkak 1, 75450 Ayer Keroh, Melaka

Benphysio @ Mount Austin Johor
018-288 2015  WhatsApp
Room 15, Nook Workspace•Storage Mount Austin, 117, Jalan Mutiara Emas 10/19, Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim

Benphysio @ Iskandar Puteri Johor
018-288 2015  WhatsApp
B-02-01, Pusat Perdagangan Ion Akses, Persiaran Medini Sentral 6, Bandar Medini Iskandar, 79250 Iskandar Puteri, Johor Darul Ta'zim