Physiotherapy Rehabilitation for Persistent Symptoms After Osgood-Schlatter Disease Surgery: A Case Report

Abstrak

Background: Persistent symptoms after Osgood-Schlatter Disease (OSD) surgery may lead to chronic knee pain, limited range of motion, and reduced functional capacity. Evidence regarding postoperative physiotherapy rehabilitation in adults remains limited.
Objective: To describe the short-term outcomes of a structured physiotherapy rehabilitation program in a patient with persistent symptoms two years after OSD surgery.
Methods: This CARE-compliant case report involved a 26-year-old woman with persistent right knee pain and functional limitation two years after OSD surgery with internal screw fixation. The patient underwent three physiotherapy sessions consisting of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), ultrasound therapy, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), scar management, and therapeutic exercises based on the FITT principle. Outcomes were assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), knee range of motion (ROM), and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS).
Results: After intervention, knee extension improved from 3° limitation to 0°, while knee flexion improved from 130° to 140°. Pain during movement decreased from 6/10 to 2/10 on the NRS. KOOS improved from 54 to 64, indicating functional improvement. No adverse effects were reported during the intervention period.
Conclusion: A structured multimodal physiotherapy rehabilitation program was associated with short-term improvements in pain, knee ROM, and functional status in this patient with chronic postoperative OSD symptoms. However, findings should be interpreted cautiously because they were derived from a single-case report with short-term follow-up.