Friday, April 19, 2024
HomeEditor PicksWhat To Do For Growing Pains In Your Knees

What To Do For Growing Pains In Your Knees

Round Ligament Pain During Pregnancy

how to get rid of growing pains in your knee

Round ligament pain is a type of pelvic pain that can occur during pregnancy.

Round ligaments are ligaments in the pelvis that attach to and cradle the uterus. As the uterus grows, it causes the ligaments to stretch. This stretching can cause a sharp pain in one or both sides of the pelvis.

Treatment

There are several potential ways to find relief from RLP, including:

  • prenatal massage
  • applying heat packs to the pelvic area, or taking a warm bath
  • performing gentle stretches and twisting exercises for 5-10 minutes each day while lying on the back
  • practicing prenatal yoga

What Are The Symptoms Of Growing Pains

Growing pains occur mostly in the legs , and affect both sides of the body. The pain appears late in the day or at night, often awakening the child. By morning the child is well, with no pain or stiffness. Parents often report that they can predict when the pain will occur, often on days of increased physical activity or when the child is tired and grumpy. The duration of the pain is usually between 10 and 30 minutes, although it might range from minutes to hours. The degree of pain can be mild or very severe. Growing pains are intermittent, with pain-free intervals from days to months. In some children the pain can occur daily.

When To Go To The Doctor

If you have a fever, are limping when you walk, or your leg looks red or is swollen , your parent should take you to the doctor. Growing pains should not keep you from running, playing, and doing what you normally do. If the pain is bothering you during the day, talk to your parent about it.

You might never feel any growing pains, but if you do, remember that before you know it, you will outgrow them!

Don’t Miss: Stiff Knee Joints After Sitting

What You Can Do

Before the appointment, you may want to write a list that answers the following questions:

  • Where does the pain occur?
  • Is there a certain time of day when the pain usually occurs?
  • How long does the pain last?
  • What, if anything, relieves the pain?
  • Does the pain wake your child up at night or make it difficult to fall asleep?
  • Has your child experienced any other signs or symptoms such as swelling, redness, abdominal pain or headaches?
  • Has your child recently started a new physical activity?

How To Help Relieve Growing Pains & Other Leg Pain

how to get rid of growing pains in your knee

The treatment of growing pains is simple and includes massage, stretching, a heating pad and ibuprofen or another pain reliever.

It’s important to note that different type of nighttime leg pain your tot might experience is muscle cramping. Some kids get painful spasms in their feet or legs during sleep . The cramp makes the toes curl painfully and you may able to feel the knotted muscle in your childs calf.

The best treatment for muscle cramping is to stretch the muscle by having your child walk or firmly pushing the toes up, to stretch the calf and Achilles tendon. If this occurs more than once, a preventative remedy is to give a magnesium supplement mixed into warm milk at dinner or bedtime . Ask your health-care professional for the correct dose of magnesium for your childs weight.

Recommended Reading: Nano Knee Surgery Cost

About Growing Pains In Children And Teenagers

Growing pains are very common, especially during the primary school years.

We dont really know what causes growing pains but theyre not caused by growing! In most children with growing pains, nothing obvious brings them on.

One theory is that theyre related to exercise, but this isnt always the case.

Some children with growing pains might also get stomach pain and headaches. For these children, growing pains might be related to stress or anxiety.

Read Also: What Are The Best Volleyball Knee Pads

Care Advice For Leg Muscle Cramps Strains Growing Pains

  • What You Should Know About Leg Pain:
  • Strained muscles are common after too much exercise or hard sports.
  • Examples are hiking or running.
  • Weekend warriors who are out of shape get the most muscle pains.
  • Here is some care advice that should help.
  • Muscle Cramps Treatment:
  • Muscle cramps in the feet or calf muscles occur in a third of children.
  • Stretching. During attacks, stretch the painful muscle by pulling the foot and toes upward. Stretch as far as they will go to break the spasm. Stretch in the opposite direction to how it is being pulled by the cramp.
  • Cold Pack. Use a cold pack. You can also use ice wrapped in a wet cloth. Put it on the sore muscle for 20 minutes.
  • Water. Heat cramps can occur with hard sports on a hot day. If you suspect heat cramps, have your child drink lots of fluids. Water or sports drinks are good choices. Continue with stretching and using a cold pack.
  • Prevention. Future attacks may be prevented by daily stretching exercises of the heel cords. Stand with the knees straight. Then, stretch the ankles by leaning forward against a wall. Place a pillow under the covers at the foot of the bed at night. This gives the feet more room to move at night. Also, be sure your child gets enough calcium in the diet. Daily vitamin D3 may also help.
  • Strained Muscles from Overuse – Treatment:
  • Pain Medicine. To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product . Another choice is an ibuprofen product . Use as needed.
  • Growing Pains Treatment:
  • Your child becomes worse
  • Recommended Reading: Inversion Table After Hip Replacement

    How To Know If Your Child Has Growing Pains

    Lab studies and x-rays wont help your doctor diagnose growing pains, although imaging can help rule out other, more serious conditions.

    We help diagnose growing pains after an office visit and discussion with the child and parent, Dr. Weinberger explains.

    The intensity and frequency of growing pains varies. They can range from feeling like a minor ache to an intense muscle cramp. But there are common factors you can expect to see:

    • They occur at night or in the evening hours.
    • Your child will probably feel pain in both legs or arms .
    • Pain almost always includes the legs. If theres pain in the arms, it typically is in addition to pain in the legs.
    • Theyre often intense enough to wake your child up.

    They usually occur in the legs and last anywhere from five to 20 minutes, Dr. Weinberger says. There could be multiple nights between episodes or they could happen several nights in a row.

    When To See A Doctor

    What Are Growing Pains??

    It is not ideal to use pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, to mask the pain and participate in sports. This may worsen the injuries and pain over time. Seek medical care in the following circumstances .

    • Knee pain lasting more than two weeks
    • Limping due to pain
    • Unable to do sport activities
    • Pain while playing sports
    • Performance is affected by the pain
    • Knee injuries

    Never force your teen to participate in sports with knee pain. All cases of knee pain are not related to growth. An orthopedic doctor should evaluate the teen to identify the exact cause.

    Read Also: How To Prevent Knee Pain In Old Age

    Also Check: How Do I Get Rid Of Fat Around My Knees

    Homeopathic Arnica Works Fast For Growing Pains

    Lets take note before we move forward that I am not a doctor, nurse or practitioner of any kind, and Im just sharing the knowledge I have as a mom. Please take my advice as you would your neighbors or the crazy lady at your church! This post is not meant to be medical advice.

    This is the little balls that my son was asking for. We have always used homeopathic arnica montana 30c as our magic growing pains balls. Arnica is said to be the first line of defense against any physical trauma. If you only have one homeopathic remedy on hand, this would be a good one.

    Because this is a very quick remedy to administer, our little balls are the second option we always reach for.

    To use a homeopathic remedy, you put the balls, usually 3, into the lid of the container. Try not to touch them with your fingers because the active remedy is on the outside of the ball and easily rubbed off.

    Tip the contents of the lid into the childs mouth, and if they are old enough, instruct them to hold the balls under their tongue. Under the tongue is the fastest way to get the remedy into the bloodstream.

    Its okay to use homeopathy even on children, and growing pains dont usually begin until at least age 2, so you dont have to worry about children younger . If the child does wake up again, you can give a second administration of the remedy as soon as 15 minutes later.

    When Should I Call The Doctor

    When deciding whether to call the doctor, its important to remember that growing pains are almost always felt in both legs. Pain that is only in one leg may be a sign of a more serious condition. Call your health care provider if this happens.

    Its also important to remember that growing pains affect muscles, not joints. And they do not cause limping or fever.

    Call your childs doctor or nurse if leg pain occurs with the following symptoms. They arent symptoms of growing pains, but your doctor will need to examine your child and run tests:

    • injury, such as a fall
    • fever

    You May Like: Can You Rebuild Cartilage In Your Knee

    So What Can I Do About It

    Stretch, stretch, stretch! Often times one of the major factors contributing to overuse injuries is inflexible muscles. Athletes need to pay particular attention to stretching the muscles surrounding the knees and hips specifically, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, piriformis, and calf muscles. Hold each stretch steadily for 30 seconds and repeat each 3 to 4 times.

    There are also some basic strengthening exercises that can help decrease anterior knee pain:

  • 4 Way Straight Leg Raises: Lie on back, tighten thigh muscles and straighten injuredleg. Slowly raise straightened leg 12 to 18 inches and lower down to starting position. Rotate onto one side and repeat the straight leg raise in that position. Rotate to lying onstomach and repeat, then to other side and repeat straight leg raise. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions in each of the four positions.
  • Wall Slides: With your back against the wall and feet placed approximately 2 1/2 shoe lengths away from the wall, place a ball between the knees and slide down the wall until knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Hold for 5 seconds, and perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
  • Step Downs: Stand on a 3 to 4 inch high step on the injured leg. Slowly bend injured knee until opposite heel touches the ground, and then return to the original position . Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
  • Why Do My Legs Hurt At Night

    Pin on How to get rid of Knee Pain

    Pain in your legs and feet at night, or when trying to sleep, is often a symptom of peripheral artery disease . Peripheral artery disease leg pain can occur anywhere in your leg, but the most common places to feel pain are in the muscles of your calf, thigh or buttocks. Others have pain when resting or at night.

    Also Check: Is Nano Knee Covered By Medicare

    Back Of Knee Pain Treatment At Home Tested Home Remedies

    Enough about the causes. Lets now discuss the solutions to this undesirable pain.

    The solution lies in the diagnosis.

    What is the cause of the pain?

    Is it Arthritis, cramp or a tear in the meniscus.

    We have discussed the symptoms of each cause above but if you are unsure still, then you have to consult your doctor.

    He/she will ask you about the history of the pain, what is your routine and how often do you report this pain. You might need to have an X-ray or an ultrasound if the doctor deems it to be necessary.

    We wont be discussing surgical methods or treatments for each cause, as you have medical websites and platforms for that.

    Rather, we would suggest ways to get rid of them while staying at home.

    Read Also: How Long Is Knee Surgery

    Is Damage Being Done

    While inflammation and irritation to the apophysis are taking place, this damage is not permanent. People who have Osgood-Schlatter disease may notice the tibial tubercle is more prominent. This may persist later in life, but it generally does not cause a problem.

    The typical signs of Osgood-Schlatter disease include:

    • Pain on the front of the shin, just below the knee joint
    • Prominence of the tibial tubercle
    • Swelling and tenderness of the tibial tubercle
    • Pain during, but more commonly in the hours following, sports activity

    Don’t Miss: Regrow Cartilage Naturally

    Growing Pains In Back

    While back pain is a common ailment for both adults and active children, the available literature regarding growing pains does not include pain in the back. Therefore, back pain in children may be a sign of another issue.

    It could be poor posture or muscle strain, but it may also be a sign of a more serious underlying disorder, especially if the pain lasts for more than a few days or gets progressively worse. See your doctor if that is the case.

    What Causes Growing Pains In Kids

    how to get rid of growing pains in your legs fast

    If you ask my kids, growing pains refer to any pains in legs or ankles that wake them up in the middle of the night. But lets see what the experts say.

    In general, growing pains are felt in both legs, especially in the front of the thighs, back of legs , or behind the knees. Despite the name growing pains, there is no firm evidence that growing pains are linked to growth spurts.

    In fact, doctors even call them recurrent nocturnal limb pain in children.

    Many think growing pains might just be sore muscles after a day of big activity like running, jumping or sports they tend to be more pronounced after kids have very active days. This could be a result of decreased bone strength and/or lower threshold of pain in general in the child. Kids who are hypermobile may also experience more growing pains. It is thought that growing pains are a non-inflammatory pain.

    Often a child doesnt want you to touch an everyday owie recall the screeches of pain and suffering the last time you tried to wash off a scraped knee from a driveway tumble! But with growing pains, massage and rubbing tend to feel good .

    Sources vary wildly, but likely 20 to 40 percent of children under 12 have growing pains at some point, and theyre slightly more common in girls than in boys.

    My friend Heather has a lot of great ideas about what you can do to build your childs resistance to growing pains during the day , but what about when its the middle of the night and you need relief, NOW?

    Read Also: How To Whiten Knees And Elbows

    Are These Pains Associated With Growing

    Because these pains most often occur during years when the child’s growth is not at its fastest rate, the pains are NOT associated with growing. The name was given in the 1930s to 1940s when the pains were thought to be from faster growth of the bones when compared to the growth of the tendons. We know today that this is not true. The name has remained despite our new understanding of these pains.

    The Power Of Positive Thinking Goes A Long Way

    When my child with growing pains has calmed down enough to lay down and rest again, I like to leave them with as many positive thoughts as I can. I know their cortisol and adrenaline has been rushing, so anything I can do to calm their mind will help them sleep.

    I say things like:

    • It will be so cool to see how much youve grown in the morning!
    • I know it hurts, but its almost gone
    • The little balls will do their job, just rest and close your eyes
    • Youre all taken care of, now you can sleep
    • I know that was hard, but you were so brave, and youll be just fine in the morning.
    • Growing is such hard work, but sleep will make it all better.
    • You played so hard today and had so much fun, your legs are all tired out. But now they can rest and get better

    I know, kind of shady since the pain might not have to do with growing, but its such a nice sentiment!

    And most importantly, keeping perspective and a calm voice will help you keep your cortisol in check so you too can get back to bed and sleep as quickly as possible!

    Hopefully, your hot pad and little balls can do the job so that you dont have to rub circles on your childs knees all night long. Its those nights when I curse the hardwood floor in my youngests room, the same floor for which I am so grateful when he has a stomach bug!

    Heres to more minutes in bed for all of us!

    You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Cellulite Above My Knees

    What To Do When Your Child Complains Of Leg Pain

    Monali Bordoloi

    Monali Bordoloi

    Does your child complain of leg pain at night? You could end up having sleepless nights because of this, but the pain is mostly harmless. It affects children between age three to 12.

    Eight-year-old Aryaman woke up in the middle of the night and complained about intense leg pain. His parents were clueless what to do. They asked him if he got hurt while playing. But he said he didnt. They spent rest of the night massaging his legs. By morning, there was no pain and he was fine. The pain came back few days later, again at night. They visited the doctor next day, who said it is most likely to be growing pain.

    Like Aryaman, many children in the age group of three to twelve years complain about a pain in their lower legs. The pains mostly come at nights. Dr Manohar Babu KV, Senior Consultant Pediatric Orthopaedics, Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore, says, The name Growing pain is a misnomer. Contrary to the term growing pain, there is no correlation between growth spurts and increased frequency of growth pains.

    You May Like: Where Is The Meniscus In The Knee

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Popular Articles