Nationally Recognized Expert Care for Rare Joint Condition
Athletic joint pain is common in adolescents and usually resolves with rest and time. Pain that worsens over time may be a sign of something else. This is especially true when pain is felt in the knees, elbows and ankles of older children and adolescents who compete in sports.
The Cincinnati Children’s Osteochondritis Dissecans Center specializes in treating children and adolescents with this rare condition where the bone next to the cartilage of a joint weakens and becomes unhealthy. Led by one of the nation’s top osteochondritis dissecans experts, our team has the experience and skills to help your child to heal and return to sports.
What is Osteochondritis Dissecans?
Osteochondritis dissecans, or osteochondral lesion, is a rare joint condition that typically affects growing young people between the ages of 8 and 16 years who are highly active in sports. Overuse and repeated joint stress can cause the sub-surface bone to weaken and disappear, causing the joint surface bone and cartilage to break loose. The result is ongoing joint pain and inflammation, and sometimes swelling, locking and decreased motion
Osteochondritis dissecans is most common in the knees. It also develops in ankles, elbows and other joints. The most common symptom is long-term pain in the affected joint. When the condition occurs in the knees it is often mistaken for tendinitis, bursitis or a benign overuse condition such as Osgood-Schlatter disease, patella femoral pain or jumper’s knee.
Why Choose Us
It’s simple: We have the necessary experience, expertise and technology to correctly identify and treat osteochondritis dissecans—even the most complex cases.
Experts in the Field
Our team of specialists is led by Eric Wall, MD, one of the nation’s top osteochondritis dissecans experts. Dr. Wall has over 30 years of experience identifying and treating osteochondritis dissecans, as well as researching new treatment therapies and training the next generation of surgeons. His reputation for delivering compassionate, skillful care is well-known, as patients and families travel to Cincinnati Children’s from across the United States.
Pioneering Research
Cincinnati Children’s is dedicated to advancing patient care through groundbreaking research—and the Osteochondritis Dissecans Center is no different. Dr. Wall is a co-founder of ROCK, a multicenter research group for osteochondritis of the knee. In addition to researching revolutionary new therapies and surgical techniques, Dr. Wall contributes the largest number of participants to a nationwide clinical study. This research evaluates different treatment options and their respective outcomes, carefully following our patients before, during and after treatment.
Multidisciplinary Care
We believe your child is more than just their disease. Our surgeons, doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and nurses work closely with physical therapists and sports psychologists. As a team, we address your child’s physical and mental health during the recovery process.
Nationally Sought, Expert Second Opinions
Cincinnati Children’s Osteochondritis Dissecans Center is one of only a few places in the country that focuses on osteochondritis dissecans. Because of this, patients come to us from all over the country for a second opinion about this rare condition—many from a nationally recognized Facebook forum. More than half of our patients are referred by other specialists because of our expertise.
