Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a condition that develops in joints, most often in children and adolescents. It occurs when a small segment of bone begins to crack and separate from its surrounding region due to a lack of blood supply.| orthoinfo.aaos.org
Stretching each of the major lower body muscle groups both before and after sporting activity will help your young athlete stay injury-free throughout the season. The exercises included here are designed to help stretch the large muscle groups.| orthoinfo.aaos.org
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in growing adolescents. It is an inflammation of the area just below the knee where the tendon from the kneecap (patellar tendon) attaches to the shinbone (tibia).| orthoinfo.aaos.org
Many athletes, including some children and adolescents, take creatine supplements because they think it will increase strength and improve sports performance. There is currently no conclusive evidence that creatine supplements improve performance for sports activities.| orthoinfo.aaos.org
Some young people use steroids—synthetic hormones that can boost muscle mass—to improve their physical appearance or improve athletic performance. While using steroids may increase the size of their muscles, the risks to their health are significant.| orthoinfo.aaos.org