Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a problem that develops in the knee. When it affects young children who are still growing, it is called juvenile OCD or JOCD. Many doctors think that JOCD is caused by repeated stress to the bone.
Most young people with JOCD have been involved in competitive sports since they were very young. A heavy schedule of training and competing can stress the femur in a way that leads to JOCD. In some cases, other muscle or bone problems can cause extra stress and contribute to JOCD.
Grade I is a mild lesion — it is small in size and does not involve the underlying articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is a smooth, rubbery covering that allows the bones of a joint to slide smoothly against one another. This type of lesion has the best chance for healing. Conservative care with activity modification and possible casting, splinting, or bracing of the knee are the two main nonoperative approaches to this problem.
The lesions usually occur in the part of the joint that holds most of the body’s weight. This means that the problem area is under constant stress and doesn’t get time to heal. Only one-third up to one-half of children treated conservatively have a successful outcome. It’s very important that your son follows the doctors advice and doesn’t push beyond what’s recommended. Putting weight on the healing area too soon can further damage the joint and result in failure to recover.