Children and teenagers may experience growing pains – foot, ankle, and leg problems that cause pain in the bones and leg muscles. However, in many cases, these pains can be caused by a misalignment in the lower extremities. Our bunion specialist in Bethesda, MD, explains more below.
Symptoms of Growing Pains
The symptoms of growing pains vary between children. Usually, growing pains occur between the ages of 3—5 and between 8—12. However, some common symptoms include:
- Muscular aches and sharp pains, generally behind the knee, in the calf, and in the front of the thigh
- Headaches or arm pain
- Pain does not subside by moving legs
- Intermittent pain that occurs around the late afternoon, evening, or late at night, and is gone by morning
- Pain doesn’t make it difficult to run or play
Growing Pain Causes
The causes of growing pains aren’t clear. Pain isn’t directly caused by the growth of bones, as the bones grow slowly, even during growth spurts. The pain tends to be worse after physical activity or sports. Some factors that appear to influence pain:
- Tight muscles in the hamstrings, calf, and hip rotator muscles
- Flat feet
- Muscle tiredness
- Poor posture
Growing pains should subside by the middle of adolescence. If they don’t, there may be more serious problems that our podiatrist can help with.
Growing Pain Treatments
Though children will eventually outgrow these aches and pains, there are measures you can take to ease growing pains, such as:
- Custom orthotics to realign the legs and feet for pain relief
- Wearing more supportive shoes
- Exercises for muscle flexibility and strength
If you believe your child has a condition beyond growing pains, please contact our podiatrist. We can help diagnose and treat your child to get them back on their feet!
Contact Our Bunion Specialist in Bethesda, MD, Today!
The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other podiatry-related topics, feel free to contact The Podiatry Center by clicking here or by calling 301-232-3764.
