Analysis of Quadriceps Muscle Tightness as a Risk Factor for Osgood-Schlatter Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is unknown. Tightness of the quadriceps femoris has been reported to be a risk factor for OSD. HYPOTHESIS: Quadriceps muscle tightness would not contribute to the development of OSD. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: We enrolled 150 Japanese male junior high school soccer players (N = 300 knees), with a mean age at first examination of 12.5 years (range, 12-13 years). All players were assessed annually and evaluated for 2 years. Ten players (n = 14 knees) had a history of OSD before the first medical examination. After excluding these 10 players (n = 20 knees), the remaining 140 players (n = 280 knees) were included in this prospective analysis. Age at the time of starting soccer, history of injury (including OSD and time missed), height, weight, annual increase in height, body mass index (BMI), straight-leg raise angle, heel-buttock distance (HBD), and ultrasound images of the tibial tuberosity (maturity and morphology) were compared between players who developed OSD and those who did not. RESULTS: OSD was identified in 8 knees of 6 players, with an incidence of 2.9% of knees (8/280) and 4.3% of players (6/140). Univariate analysis revealed significant differences between the OSD and non-OSD groups regarding BMI (17.1 ± 1 kg/m(2) vs 18.5 ± 1.6 kg/m(2), respectively; P = .018), HBD (1.5 ± 1.6 cm vs 4.8 ± 4.5 cm; P < .001), and stage of tibial tuberosity maturity (P < .001). The maturity of the tibial tuberosity was the only independent risk factor for the development of OSD in multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio, 9.848 [95% CI, 3.297-29.41]; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Study findings indicated that quadriceps muscle tightness did not contribute to the development of OSD.