Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

A 15-year-old basketball player has painful lumps on his knees. What condition does this best describe?

1. Osteosarcoma of the tibia

2. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

3. Osgood-Schlatter disease

4. Paget's disease of the bone

The correct answer is: Osgood-Schlatter disease

The condition best described by painful lumps on the knees of a 15-year-old basketball player is Osgood-Schlatter disease. This common condition occurs due to irritation and inflammation of the patellar tendon at the tibial tuberosity, where the tendon attaches to the bone. It is particularly prevalent in adolescents who engage in sports that involve running and jumping, which can place stress on their knees, leading to pain and prominence around the area. As this is a growth-related condition, the skeletal development in teenagers makes them particularly susceptible to it. The characteristic painful lumps can often be felt just below the kneecap, giving the appearance of bony protrusions. Additionally, symptoms are exacerbated by activities that involve running or kneeling. While osteosarcoma may present with bone pain, it typically involves more systemic symptoms and does not usually manifest solely as lumps localized to the knees. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can cause knee swelling and pain but involves other systemic symptoms and joint involvement that extends beyond localized lumps. Paget's disease is more common in older adults and is characterized by abnormal bone remodeling, which would not be the appropriate diagnosis in an athletic 15-year-old presenting with knee lumps.