Growing Pains
Harmless, recurring leg aches in children, often at night
Quick Facts
- Type: Benign childhood limb pain
- Typical age: Around 3-12 years
- Location: Both legs, often calves, thighs, behind knees
- Timing: Evening or night, gone by morning
Overview
Growing pains are a common, harmless cause of leg aches in children. Despite the name, they are not actually caused by bones growing, and they do not damage the body or affect how a child grows. They are best understood as a benign, recurring muscle ache that comes and goes, usually in otherwise healthy and active children.
The pains typically affect both legs and tend to appear in the late afternoon, evening, or at night, sometimes waking a child from sleep. By morning the discomfort is usually gone and the child runs and plays normally. Growing pains often occur after a day of vigorous activity. While they can be distressing for both child and parent, they are not a sign of serious disease.
Symptoms
Growing pains follow a fairly typical pattern:
- Aching or throbbing in both legs, commonly the calves, fronts of the thighs, or behind the knees
- Pain in the muscles rather than the joints
- Discomfort that comes in the evening or night and is gone by morning
- No swelling, redness, warmth, limping, or injury
- A normal, active child between episodes
Some children also have headaches or abdominal aches around the same time. The key reassuring features are that the pain affects both legs, comes and goes, and leaves no lasting signs.
Causes
The exact cause of growing pains is not fully understood, and they are not due to growth itself. Several factors are thought to contribute:
- Physical activity: Pains often follow days of a lot of running, climbing, or play, suggesting tired, overused muscles.
- Lower pain threshold: Some children may be more sensitive to muscle aches.
- Flexibility and posture differences: May play a minor role in some children.
Growing pains are a diagnosis made after ruling out other causes; there is no single proven mechanism, and they are considered benign.
Risk Factors
- Age roughly between 3 and 12 years
- High levels of daytime physical activity
- A family history of growing pains
- Episodes tend to cluster during active or busy periods
Diagnosis
Growing pains are diagnosed by the typical history and a normal physical examination, after excluding other causes. There is no specific test for them.
- History: Pain in both legs, in the muscles, in the evening or night, with full recovery by morning, and a well child in between.
- Examination: Normal, with no swelling, tenderness over a single spot, redness, warmth, or limp.
- Tests: Usually not needed. Blood tests or X-rays are done only if features are unusual and another condition is suspected.
Treatment and Relief
Growing pains do not need medical treatment and improve on their own. Comfort measures during an episode usually help:
- Massage: Gently rubbing the aching muscles often soothes the pain.
- Warmth: A warm bath before bed or a warm compress on the legs can ease discomfort.
- Stretching: Light calf and thigh stretches during the day may reduce how often pains occur.
- Pain relief: An age-appropriate dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used occasionally for troublesome pain, following package or pediatrician guidance.
Reassurance is an important part of care, since children and parents are often worried that something serious is wrong.
Self-Care and Prevention
- Encourage gentle stretching of the legs, especially before bed
- Offer a warm bath at the end of an active day
- Keep up normal activity; there is no need to limit play
- Provide reassurance that the pains are harmless and temporary
When to See a Doctor
Growing pains are harmless, but some symptoms suggest a different problem and should be checked promptly. See a doctor if your child has:
- Pain in only one leg or over a single, specific spot
- Swelling, redness, warmth, or tenderness in a limb or joint
- Limping, weakness, or refusal to walk
- Pain present during the day or persisting into the morning
- Fever, weight loss, fatigue, or pain after an injury
These features warrant evaluation to rule out infection, injury, joint disease, or other conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are growing pains actually caused by growing?
No. Despite the name, growing pains are not caused by bones growing and do not harm the body. They are a harmless, recurring muscle ache, often after active days, that comes and goes and resolves on its own.
When should I worry about my child's leg pain?
Be concerned if the pain is in only one leg, stays in one spot, comes with swelling, redness, warmth, limping, fever, or weight loss, or is present during the day. These features are not typical of growing pains and should be evaluated by a doctor.
How can I help my child during a growing pains episode?
Gently massaging the aching muscles, applying warmth such as a warm bath or compress, and light stretching usually help. Occasional acetaminophen or ibuprofen at an age-appropriate dose can ease troublesome pain when needed.
Do growing pains go away?
Yes. Growing pains are temporary and tend to fade as a child gets older, usually disappearing by the teenage years. They leave no lasting effects on health or growth.
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Growing Pains.
- Mayo Clinic. Growing pains.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Growing pains.