Growing pains are recurring but essentially harmless leg pains, which usually affect children 5-12 years of age. The pains typically occur in the evening or at night after hectic daytime activity. It occurs around and behind the knees and in the calves, the thighs, and sometimes in the shins. Sometimes, they can occur in the upper limbs. They do not cause limping but can sometimes disturb sleep. Here, in this article, we will discuss in detail about “Growing Pains”.
Causes and Outcome
The exact cause of growing pains is unknown. However, it is thought to be a mild repetitive stress injury to growing bones. These pains are often recurrent and may even occur over months or years. The main thing to remember is that they are harmless, and the child eventually outgrows them.
Diagnosis
The following help differentiate benign growing pains from other limb pains with serious causes:
- Total relief by the following morning.
- No signs of inflammation like swelling, redness, or warmth.
- No other symptoms or signs.
- Usual growth and development.
- Normal investigation results (CBC, ESR, x-rays, etc., though usually unnecessary)
How to relieve growing pains in legs at home
These pains are easily managed at home by following these tips.
- Apply warm water to the pain.
- Rub the affected areas.
- Use analgesics like paracetamol, and
- Do thigh and leg muscle stretching exercises.