Taping and bracing the patella tendon can help relieve symptoms of Osgood Schlatter Disease by supporting the patella tendon and changing the way forces are transmitted through the knee.
Medically reviewed by Dr Chaminda Goonetilleke, 2nd Jan. 2022
Patella taping
This is a simple Osgood Schlatter taping technique that helps relieve symptoms of Osgood Schlatter disease and Jumper’s knee.
How does Osgood Schlatter taping work?
Tape is applied around the knee joint and over the patella tendon. This compresses the patella tendon which alters how forces are transmitted through the tendon. The aim is to offload traction forces away from the painful area, allowing the tissues to recover.
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When to tape/brace
As the aim of strapping your knee is to reduce symptoms you may wish to tape or wear a patella strap all the time whilst it is painful. Later on, you may not need to wear support constantly.
When going back to training it is a good idea to give your knee a little extra support by taping or bracing whilst you train. In particular, for jumping-type sports, some additional support may be needed to protect your knee.
How to tape for Osgood Schlatter disease
- Apply a strip of hyper-fix tape around the knee
- This is a thin elastic adhesive tape that provides a good base, or anchor for the supporting strips to stick to
- Then using a smaller 5cm elastic adhesive bandage tear two longitudinal strips
- Twist the two strips. This creates more of a rope or cord effect in the tape
- Position the two twisted strips of tape over the patella tendon
- Ensure the patient is relaxed and not tensing up the thigh muscles
- Wrap the tape around the knee and secure it
Patella tendon strap
A patella brace or strap works in a similar way to the patella taping technique. Patella braces come in various styles and sizes but all work the same way by applying a compression force around the knee.
Again, this has the effect of changing forces through the tendon. Therefore, taking the strain away from painful tissues and allowing them to heal.
What to look for when buying a patella brace
Prices range considerably when buying a patella brace. Although they all work the same way some are more comfortable and effective than others.
The two features to be aware of are:
- Does it have padding over the patella tendon? This is needed to apply pressure to the tendon without having to tighten the brace up too much.
- The other thing to be aware of is comfort. Is there padding around the strap itself? Particularly around the back of the knee. Some cheaper versions may cut into the back of your knee and be uncomfortable to wear.
