Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGrowing Pains in LegsLeg Pain That Isn’t Growing PainsWhy Do Children Feel Leg Pain at Night?How to Care for Children With Leg PainWhen to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Growing Pains in Legs
Leg Pain That Isn’t Growing Pains
Why Do Children Feel Leg Pain at Night?
How to Care for Children With Leg Pain
When to See a Healthcare Provider
This article will discuss the causes of leg pain. It will also cover when leg pain is serious and when to contact a healthcare provider.
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Describing Growing Pains in Children’s Legs
Leg Pain in Children That Isn’t Growing Pains
When a child has leg pains that cannot be attributed to growing pains, it can concern parents and caregivers. Below, we will cover health conditions that can cause leg pain in children. It will not cover obviousleg injurieslikebone fractures.
Muscle Strain
Amuscle strainis when a muscle is stretched beyond its limits and begins to tear. It is also called a pulled muscle. It causes pain, swelling, bruising, and redness at the site. Muscle strains can occur anytime but are more likely during physical activity when someone hasn’t warmed up before the activity or when someone is not flexible.
A child who complains of leg pain on one side during the day or after activity may have a muscle strain. Totreat a muscle strainin the affected muscle, apply ice and elevate the limb.
Low Calcium Levels
Hypocalcemia can cause muscle cramps and bone pain in children. It’s treated with calcium andvitamin D supplements.
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Another cause of leg pain in children is juvenile idiopathicarthritis. It is anautoimmune conditionthat affects children and teens. It causes joint pain and swelling, typically in the ankles, knees, hands, and wrists. The other symptoms include:
Juvenile Viral Myositis
Juvenile myositisis a sudden onset of bilateral lower leg pain during or after aviral illness. It can cause a child to refuse to walk or walk on their tiptoes. It tends to go away on its own after three days.
In addition to leg pain, children may also have a rash over their joints, knuckles, and around their eyes.
Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a condition that affects teens and preteens. Gradually, over time, the ball end of the thigh bone (femur) slips backward off of the neck of the bone. This causes swelling, pain, and hip instability.
SCFE is diagnosed through a physical exam andX-rays. Treatment involves surgery to stop the femur head from slipping further.
Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcomais a type of bone cancer. It is very rare but is the most common type of bone cancer in children. It tends to grow at the bottom of the femur and top of the tibia. Children withosteosarcomawill have pain and swelling at the site of the tumor, pain during activity or at night, and a bump in the area of the tumor.
An osteosarcoma diagnosis will require blood tests, scans, and a biopsy. Treatment will vary based on the staging and other variables.
Osgood Schlatter Disease
Osgood Schlatter diseaseis a condition that causes knee pain in children. It causes inflammation below the knee, where the patellar tendon attaches to the tibia.
The condition typically occurs during childhood growth spurts as the muscles, bones, and tendons quickly change. A child is at higher risk for Osgood Schlatter disease when participating in physical activities as it causes additional stress on the knees.
Osgood Schlatter disease treatment includes rest, ice, stretching, andstrengthening exercises.
Leg pain can be felt at night for various reasons.
Children with growing pains will feel pain at night from the physical activity they participated in during the day.
For other conditions, leg pain may be felt at night when the child is quiet, and there are no distractions from the pain.
Serious Leg Pain SymptomsWhen a child is experiencing leg pain, it can be difficult to know what is serious and what is not. Here are signs that a child’s leg pain is serious:They cannot or are unwilling to walkLimpingFeverWeight loss or loss of appetitePain that does not get better or worsensSwelling, redness, or joint pain
Serious Leg Pain Symptoms
When a child is experiencing leg pain, it can be difficult to know what is serious and what is not. Here are signs that a child’s leg pain is serious:They cannot or are unwilling to walkLimpingFeverWeight loss or loss of appetitePain that does not get better or worsensSwelling, redness, or joint pain
When a child is experiencing leg pain, it can be difficult to know what is serious and what is not. Here are signs that a child’s leg pain is serious:
Leg pain in children will be cared for based on the underlying cause.
For children with growing pains, reassuring the child that the pain is temporary and will go away is helpful. In the meantime, treatments to alleviate pain can include:
For other causes of leg pain, it’s important to follow a healthcare provider’s treatment instructions.
Anytime a child experiences leg pain, it can be distressing for the child and caregiver.
Contact a healthcare provider when a child is young and unable to express their pain and describe it. The provider can assess the situation and determine what, if any, treatment is necessary.
Other reasons to see a healthcare provider are:
Summary
When a child complains about leg pain, it can be difficult to determine if the pain is serious. The child may have difficulty describing the pain and articulating what makes it better or worse. It could be a muscle strain, growing pains, or even a tumor.
It’s a good idea to contact a healthcare provider for an evaluation to determine the underlying cause of pain and determine the best treatment plan.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Rheumatology.Growing pains.UpToDate.Growing pains.Penn Medicine.Muscle strain.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hypocalcemia in children.Arthritis Foundation.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Magee H, Goldman RD.Viral myositis in children.Can Fam Physician. 2017;63(5):365-368.University of Michigan Health.Juvenile myositis.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Slipped capital femoral epiphysis.Cedars Sinai.Osteosarcoma (osteogenic sarcoma) in children.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Osgood-Schlatter disease.Nemours KidsHealth.Growing pains.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American College of Rheumatology.Growing pains.UpToDate.Growing pains.Penn Medicine.Muscle strain.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hypocalcemia in children.Arthritis Foundation.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Magee H, Goldman RD.Viral myositis in children.Can Fam Physician. 2017;63(5):365-368.University of Michigan Health.Juvenile myositis.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Slipped capital femoral epiphysis.Cedars Sinai.Osteosarcoma (osteogenic sarcoma) in children.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Osgood-Schlatter disease.Nemours KidsHealth.Growing pains.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American College of Rheumatology.Growing pains.UpToDate.Growing pains.Penn Medicine.Muscle strain.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hypocalcemia in children.Arthritis Foundation.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Magee H, Goldman RD.Viral myositis in children.Can Fam Physician. 2017;63(5):365-368.University of Michigan Health.Juvenile myositis.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Slipped capital femoral epiphysis.Cedars Sinai.Osteosarcoma (osteogenic sarcoma) in children.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Osgood-Schlatter disease.Nemours KidsHealth.Growing pains.
American College of Rheumatology.Growing pains.
UpToDate.Growing pains.
Penn Medicine.Muscle strain.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Hypocalcemia in children.
Arthritis Foundation.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
Magee H, Goldman RD.Viral myositis in children.Can Fam Physician. 2017;63(5):365-368.
University of Michigan Health.Juvenile myositis.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Slipped capital femoral epiphysis.
Cedars Sinai.Osteosarcoma (osteogenic sarcoma) in children.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Osgood-Schlatter disease.
Nemours KidsHealth.Growing pains.
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