Patient question
Can teenage athletes get plica syndrome?
Dr. Pablo GelberOrthopaedic Knee Surgeon
Quick answer
Yes. Plica syndrome is most common in teenagers and young adults, especially those who train often in football, running, cycling, dance or academy sport. A sudden jump in training is a frequent trigger, and most improve without surgery, explains Dr. Pablo Gelber, knee surgeon at Aman Hospital in Doha, Qatar.
Why teenagers are prone to it
During growth spurts, bones lengthen faster than muscles adapt, so the thigh muscles and hamstrings become relatively tight. That raises pressure at the front of the knee. Add frequent training, school sport, academy sessions and weekend matches, and an otherwise harmless plica can become irritated.
In Qatar, training schedules often shift with the seasons, with intense indoor sessions in summer and packed outdoor fixtures in the cooler months. Rapid increases are when knee pain tends to appear.
Other teenage knee problems to tell apart
- Osgood-Schlatter disease: a tender bony bump below the kneecap
- Patellofemoral pain: a general ache around the kneecap, common in teenage girls
- Kneecap instability: the kneecap slipping, often with a clear episode
- Osteochondritis dissecans: deeper aching, swelling and sometimes catching
- Discoid meniscus: a clunk on the outer side, sometimes from a young age
What parents and coaches can do
- Reduce training load by a third to a half for a few weeks rather than stopping all activity
- Avoid deep squats, lunges and repeated stair or hill work while it is sore
- Encourage daily hamstring and front-thigh stretches and simple quadriceps and hip strengthening
- Ice after sessions if the knee aches
- Build back gradually, increasing one thing at a time: duration, intensity or frequency
Pain that is mild during sport and settled by the next morning is usually acceptable while rebuilding. Pain that causes limping is not.
When to see a knee surgeon
Book an assessment if knee pain lasts more than a few weeks, causes limping, wakes your child at night, or comes with swelling, locking or the knee giving way. At Aman Hospital in Doha, Dr. Gelber examines the knee and growth areas carefully, and MRI is used when another cause needs to be ruled out. Surgery is rarely needed in teenagers and is considered only after a thorough rehabilitation programme.
Frequently asked questions
Does my child need to stop football completely?
Usually not. Reducing load and adapting training while doing exercises often allows continued, lighter participation. Complete rest tends to weaken the muscles that protect the knee.
Is this just growing pains?
Growing pains typically affect both legs at night and do not cause a localised tender spot or snapping. Pain in one knee with activity is more likely a specific problem and worth checking.
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