What Causes Leg Pain?

Discussion “Growing pains” of the legs are a common complaint in children. Heterogeneous studies from 1928-2004 have found prevalence rates of 2.6-49.4% in children ages 4-19. The studies are heterogeneous because of time, location, and especially definition of growing pains. A study of 1445, 4-6 year olds in 2004 using a validated tool showed a prevalence rate of 36.9%. The definition of growing pains used by Peterson in the 2004 study is chronic “…intermittent (nonarticular) pains in both legs that generally occur late in the day or at night…” with a normal physical examination and laboratory testing (if any is done). The pain is in the thigh or calf muscles. The pain can occur over weeks or months. Patients should not have a history of trauma but because the time period over which the pains occur, patients and families will often relate histories of minor trauma. The cause of growing pains is not known but theories include muscle fatigue, anatomic differences such as flat feet or knock-knees or being part of a larger pain constellation such as headache or abdominal pain. Leg pain that has different characteristics such as localized, persistent or intensifying pain, pain that occurs at different times of the day, obvious joint involvement, limb swelling or erythema or systemic symptoms demand a more extensive history and laboratory and/or radiological investigation. For many children and young adolescents, intermittent viral syndromes ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news