Growing pains is a common term used to explain afternoon and/or nightly legs aches in children. As a community we have become comfortable accepting growing pains as a normal part of childhood growth, though there is little evidence to support this type of pain in legs actually occurs within a growth phase of a child’s body. These sorts of pains are more commonly linked to your child’s level of activity and/or poor biomechanics. A true growing pain will likely go as quickly as it came. A child can experience pain in the afternoon or night, to then feel completely pain free first thing in the morning. Its important to recognise that persist pain is not a normal part of a childs growth. Lets take a closer look….

Growing pains basis its classification around soreness in the muscle of the leg and thigh. Most commonly in the lower leg muscles below the knee. They will not appear in joints or tendons. About 10% of all children between the age of 2-6 years can experience true growing pains. This is where the muscles becomes very sore in the afternoon or night, but returns to feeling pain free by morning without effecting the child’s ability to walk or run. The cause of this growing pain remains unclear. These types of sporadic and rapidly clearing pains will go away permanently as the child ages.

Watch out for Pain that looks like it could be “Growing pains”, but it actually is not :

Other pain, often grouped with growing pains, may not actually be true growing pains at all.
The pain may be due to:

• Inflammed and sore muscles due to physical activity.

• Poor biomechanics - if the foot position is poor, load activities such as walking and running place muscles under more force and they can become strained.

• Injury - your child may have injured a muscle during daily activities

• Viral pathology- some illness, including the Flu can lead to gastroc/soleous myositis, which is swelling in the calf muscles. This will present with high temperature.

• System pathology- childhood illness or disease processes.

When Parents should look closer at muscle pain in their children.

1. If your child presents with a temperature at the same time as muscle strain please see your GP, ring ahead to let them know of these symptoms.

2. If a child’s pain is aggravated by sports and physical activity seek advice form a Physiotherapist or Podiatrists

3. If your child presents with pain in multiple sites, including joints seek medical advice from your GP

4. If your child is unable to weight bear and limps due to pain seek advice from an Allied Health Therapist.

5. if your child presents with muscle pain that eases by morning for 3 or more days it is advisable to seek further intervention.

True Growing pains management:

If your child does present with a true growing pain. They will present in the afternoon or night; not be there in the morning and will not affect their ability to weight bear. You can help them manage the pain as it occurs with these simple options.

1. Warm baths, heat bags or heat creams. The heat will allow blood flow into the muscle and ease soreness.

2. Gentle massage to encourage blood flow into the sore muscles

3. Anti-inflammatories such as nurofen can assist pain relief.