Definition – What is growth pain in the knee?
Growth pain in the knee is pain that occurs mainly at night. Those affected are often awakened by the pain. The growth pains are usually bilateral and often radiate into the thighs.
Since there is no test that can be used to diagnose growth pain in the knee, it is a diagnosis of exclusion. In the case of knee pain, other possible diseases are excluded first. If nothing is found, it is usually growth pain.
Causes of the growth pains
Exact causes for the growth pain in the knee have not yet been clarified. There are, however, many assumptions, which are mainly based on the fact that the different tissues in the leg do not all grow evenly. Instead, sometimes the bone has grown faster, sometimes the muscles and sometimes the ligaments.
As a result, the transmission of force in the knee changes again and again and different structures are subjected to greater stress. After a growth spurt, these structures first have to get used to their unaccustomed new load. During this time, the growth pain occurs most frequently.
In addition, the uneven growth can lead to temporary deformities in the knee. Over mobility can also occur when ligaments and tendons grow faster than the bone. You can find additional information at: Acute knee pain – What is behind it?
Accompanying symptoms
Growth pain in the knee is characterized by pain that occurs without an inflammatory component and thus without swelling, redness and overheating of the affected knee joint. Usually, both knees are affected by the pain. These most frequently radiate into the thigh muscles.
At the same time, growth pain can also occur in other joints. This usually affects the legs, i.e. the foot and hip joints. However, growth pains in the arms can also occur.
In addition to the pain in the extremities, many children also suffer from stomach and headaches. It is not clear how exactly the pain is connected, but it is suspected to be a psychological component of the disease. Due to waking up at night because of the pain, a lack of sleep can occur.
This manifests itself through increased daytime tiredness, headaches, reduced ability to concentrate at school and reduced performance. Sleep disorders can also occur when the affected child learns that he or she often wakes up with pain. Since the pain is not associated with stress and movement, but tends to occur at rest, the child’s sporting activities are not usually affected. School sports or even sports in a club and the daily physical activities can usually be maintained without problems.
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