Growing Pains in Children: Night Leg Pain and When to See a Doctor
Growing pains are harmless night-time leg aches in children. What are the symptoms, what helps at home and which signs mean you should see a doctor?
Short answer: Growing pains are leg aches that typically affect children aged 3 to 12 in the evening or at night, in both legs, and are gone by morning. They are not a sign of a serious disease. If the pain is in one leg only, continues during the day, or comes with a limp, swelling, redness or fever, it is not a growing pain and your child needs to be examined.
Dr Ahmet Şadi Kılınç, Orthopaedics and Traumatology Specialist, Bahçeşehir, Istanbul
One of the sentences I hear most from parents is: “My child wakes up at night with leg pain, but runs around happily during the day.” Most of the time this is what we call growing pains. In this article I explain what they are, how to recognise them, what you can do at home and when you must see a doctor.
I also explain it in a short video, in Turkish: watch on YouTube.
What are growing pains?
Growing pains are among the most common musculoskeletal complaints of childhood, reported in roughly 10 to 25 percent of children. Despite the name, it has not been proven that the pain comes from bones lengthening. The most accepted view is that it is linked to tired leg muscles and bones after a day of running and jumping, which is why the pain usually appears on the evening of an active day.
Growing pains are a diagnosis of exclusion: first a serious cause is ruled out, then the label is used. This is why an examination is valuable.
How to recognise them
- Age: mostly 3 to 12 years
- Location: both legs, usually the front of the thigh, calf or behind the knee: the muscles rather than the joint itself
- Timing: evening and night; the child may wake up with pain
- Morning: the pain is gone, the child plays normally and does not limp
- Examination: no swelling, redness or warmth; joint movement is free
- Relief: massage, warmth or a mild pain reliever helps
What you can do at home
- Gently massage the sore area.
- Use a warm shower or a warm pack.
- Do light stretches for the leg muscles.
- If needed, give a pain reliever at the dose your paediatrician recommends. Do not use it regularly on your own.
- Do not restrict daytime activity; movement is necessary for muscle and bone development.
Staying with your child until they settle reduces stress, since growing pains can get worse with anxiety.
When to see a doctor
If any of the following is present, do not treat it as growing pains, and have your child examined:
- Pain always in the same leg and the same spot
- Pain that continues in the morning or limits movement during the day
- Limping or refusing to put weight on the leg
- Swelling, redness or warmth in a joint
- Fever, tiredness, loss of appetite or weight loss
- Pain that gets worse every day or lasts for weeks
- Leg weakness, an abnormal walk or back pain with the leg pain
- A recent fall or blow
These signs can point to infection, joint inflammation, a fracture, hip problems or, rarely, a tumour. Early assessment is therefore important.
What the doctor checks
The doctor listens to the history and checks joint movement, gait and leg length. If the picture is typical, no extra tests are usually needed. If anything is suspicious, blood tests, X-rays or ultrasound are requested.
How long do they last?
Growing pains leave no permanent problem and usually settle on their own as the child grows, typically before adolescence. It is normal for them to come and go. What matters is recognising whether the pain has the typical features.
In short
Pain that wakes the child at night, affects both legs, is gone by morning and does not limit daytime play is most often a harmless growing pain. If it is one-sided, continues during the day, or comes with a limp, swelling or fever, see an orthopaedic specialist without waiting. You can read about our Paediatric Orthopaedics services or book an appointment. For back health in children, see our article on heavy school bags.
This article is for general information and does not replace an examination.
Frequently asked questions
What are growing pains?
Pain in both legs, usually in children aged 3 to 12, that appears in the evening or at night, is gone by morning and is not caused by a serious disease.
What causes growing pains?
The exact cause is unknown. They are thought to be linked to tired leg muscles after an active day. Bone lengthening has not been proven to be the direct cause.
Do growing pains happen at night?
Yes. They typically start in the evening or at night and may wake the child. In the morning the child plays normally and does not limp.
Do growing pains go away?
Yes. They leave no lasting problem and settle by themselves as the child grows.
When should I take my child to a doctor for leg pain?
If the pain is in one leg and always in the same place, continues in the morning, or comes with a limp, swelling, redness or fever.
The information on this page is general and does not replace an examination. An examination is needed to decide which treatment suits you.