“Growing pains” can be quite a distressing issue for children, adolescents and their parents. The good news is that they are quite common, always resolve and have no long-term effects!
“Growing pains” is a generic term for aches experienced in children and/or adolescents. There is a level of mystery in the medical world surrounding “growing pains”. There is no general consensus on cause and symptoms are quite variable between individuals.
As the name suggests, “growing pains” are most commonly experienced during times of rapid growth. We commonly see this in those aged 3-5 years and 8-11 years.
These aches are typically felt in both legs and will be worse by the end of the day, often disturbing sleep. Note that this is a different issue to tendon traction injuries (such as Osgood Schlatter disease and Severs disease) which are much more pinpoint in pain location.
It is important to recognise that there are other more serious medical and musculoskeletal issues which can cause similar symptoms. Because of this, it is always worth having growing pains assessed by a Physiotherapist or General Practitioner.
Although growing pains are common, it does not mean that kids have to simply suffer with the pain. A tailored exercise program and manual therapy provided by a qualified Physiotherapist can be beneficial in helping to alleviate symptoms and keep the child involved in all of their usual activities.
This article is written by Tom Collier, Physiotherapist at Back In Motion Eltham.
If you would like further information, please contact our practice on 9439 6776 to book in a consultation with Tom.