Natural course of osteochondritis dissecans in children

Results are reported from an absence of physiotherapic, orthopaedic, or sur gical treatment in 31 cases of osteochondritis dissecans in 24 children. Th e mean age at diagnosis was 11 years and 4 months, and all the children wer e suffering from pain for an average of 3 months. None of these children we re treated, except for instructions to discontinue involvement in sports ac tivities until their pain had disappeered. In all cases pain disappeared, a nd these children have all returned to their former activities. According t o x-ray findings, 30 lesions disappeared totally, although there was one ca se of a loose body. As a result, absence of treatment is recommended for os teochondritis dissecans in children.