Problem: Article: To the extent that you are able, help create a positive environment for the person to work on his/her goals. Help remove distractions and other obstacles. This is easy if the person is someone you live with like a spouse, family member, or roommate. You can help be removing distractions and temptations from your home. For example, if a family member who is trying to quit smoking always smokes in a chair on the porch, remove the chair. Even if you don't live with the person who is striving for a goal, you may still be able to help. For example, if the person is a coworker, you can try to remove distractions at work. For instance, you might be able to take on an extra task to free them to focus more on their personal goals. Motivation and perseverance are crucial to achieving difficult goals. You can help boost someone's motivation by offering encouraging words. Especially if it seems that this person may be giving up or feeling uninspired, your words of encouragement can help promote goal achievement. You can saying things like: "You can do it," or "I believe in you." Or, better yet, remind her or him of the progress she/he has already made. One of the most important services you can provide to someone striving for a goal is to provide greater accountability. You can do this by checking in regularly to see if the person is sticking to the plan he/she set. You don't want to nag the person, but you do want to add some extra motivation to complete subgoals on schedule. This can be a difficult balance to strike. It's a good idea to let the person know in advance that you want to help by checking in. If the person says she/he would prefer that you don't, then don't. Likewise, if the person tells you to stop asking about it, don't force the issue. You want to be helpful, but not invasive. You can even ask if there is another way she/he would like you to help, but if not, accept this choice. If the person does want you to help her/him stay on track, make note of the deadlines he/she has set. When a deadline is drawing near, ask how things are going. If the person striving for a goal has setback, falls behind, or fails to reach a sub-goal on schedule, do what you can to help. This might mean helping brainstorm ways around a particular obstacle. It might mean helping remove that obstacle yourself. Or, it might just mean giving a pep-talk to get her or him back on track. For example, imagine someone you know wants to eat healthier. But, the person is having a hard time because he/she doesn't have time to cook at home, and ends up grabbing fast food a lot. You could invite the person over for a healthy home-cooked meal. You could also help strategize about quick, healthy options he or she could turn to instead of heading to the drive-through again. Another great way to help someone stay motivated to is to provide reinforcement for completion of subgoals. Little rewards can help the person develop positive associations with working toward the goal. You can provide positive reinforcement by adding something good to the person's life. For example, you could take the person out for a meal or buy her or him a small gift of some kind after a success. You can also provide negative reinforcement. This means removing something undesired from the person's life. You could reward an achievement by offering to take on some task the person doesn't enjoy. For example, you might mow the persons lawn or wash her/his car as a reward for success. Reinforcement doesn't have to be big to be effective. Something small like a dessert or an offer to take out the garbage can be enough to make a difference. One of the best forms of reinforcement is recognition of one's achievements. When the goal-seeker makes a major accomplishment, celebrate! Let him or her know you recognize the importance of what was achieved, and get other people involved. For example, imagine you know someone trying working to earn a PhD. One of the most difficult steps in the process is often passing qualifying examinations. If you know someone about take these exams, you could plan a party to celebrate after she or he passes. Get the person's friends involved and let her or him know that you are proud of the achievement.
Summary: Promote a positive environment. Offer encouragement. Check in on progress. Address setbacks and challenges. Provide reinforcement. Celebrate achievements.

Problem: Article: Probably the most important action you can take to help alleviate the pain from OSD is to stop playing the sport or doing the activity that is contributing most to the problem. Sports that involve a lot of jumping, such as basketball and volleyball, are particularly bad for OSD. The amount of rest needed varies widely and depends on the person, but expect anywhere from a few weeks to a few months before a significant reduction in pain and swelling is noticed. Pain with OSD can be sporadic or nearly constant; it usually occurs in just one knee, but sometimes develops in both. The application of ice is an effective treatment for essentially all acute musculoskeletal injuries, including OSD. Cold therapy should be applied to the inflamed bump (tibial tuberosity) just below your kneecap for 20 minutes every two to three hours for a couple of days, then reduce the frequency as the pain and swelling subside. Always wrap ice or frozen gel packs in a thin towel in order to prevent frostbite on your skin. If you don't have any ice or gel packs, then use a frozen bag of peas from your freezer. While resting and applying ice to your knee, consider also using a special knee brace or kneecap immobilizer while having to walk in order to take the stress off your patellar tendon. Knee braces can be found at stores that sell rehabilitation and medical supplies ask a physical therapist, physician, or chiropractor for more info. Alternatively, you can try a patellar tendon strap, which fits around your leg just below your kneecap. It can support your kneecap's tendon during physical activity and distribute some of the force away from the tibial tuberosity. Complete inactivity is not necessary with OSD, but consider switching to other fun activities that don't involve jumping or running, such as swimming, rowing or golf. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin can be short-term solutions to help you deal with the pain and inflammation of OSD. Alternatively, you can try over-the-counter analgesics (painkillers) such as acetaminophen (Tylenol). These medications can be hard on your stomach, kidneys and liver, so it's best not to use them for more than 2 weeks at a stretch. Check with your doctor before taking any medications. Keep in mind that NSAIDs do not shorten the course of OSD. Steroids such as cortisone have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, but injections should not be given to adolescents with OSD due to the risk factors mainly, potential tendon weakening, local muscle atrophy and reduced immune system function. Once the acute knee pain has settled down, start doing some quadriceps stretching. One of the causes of OSD is repetitive quadriceps contractions (from too much jumping, for example) and also overly tight quadricep tendons. As such, learning how to stretch this muscle group may help reduce the tension and inflammation in the area where the kneecap's tendon attaches to the upper shinbone (tibia). To stretch your quadriceps while standing, bend your leg behind you so your knee is bent, your heel about at the level of your butt. Grab your ankle and pull your foot toward your body until you feel a nice stretch in your lower thigh and knee. Hold for about 30 seconds and repeat three to five times daily until you notice reduced symptoms. Stretches for the hamstrings, which are also commonly tight, may also be performed. Bending over at the waist and trying to touch your toes is a good basic hamstring stretch.
Summary:
Rest and avoid pain-inducing activities. Apply ice to your knee. Use a knee brace or patellar immobilizer. Take anti-inflammatories or painkillers. Stretch your quadriceps.