A child complains of pain in the legs: what to do?

Parents are always alarmed by their children's complaints about poor health. It happens that during the day the baby was cheerful and cheerful, but then he cannot sleep and is capricious. One of the reasons for this behavior may be pain in the legs. Moms should find out their main reasons.

Why does my child's legs hurt at night?

This phenomenon can be a symptom of various ailments. In each specific case, the localization of pain should be taken into account, so only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.

The cause of the malaise may be orthopedic disorders, for example, or Such conditions lead to a shift in the center of gravity and an increase in the load on certain areas of the limbs.

When a child between the ages of about 5 and 9 years has severe pain in his legs at night, this may be due to the characteristics of this child's growth. Experts say that babies' bones grow faster than muscle tissue. Therefore, the tendons and muscles are stretched, compressing the joints, which provokes discomfort. During the day, children move actively, which improves blood circulation. At night, at rest, vascular tone decreases and this leads to unpleasant sensations.

A disease such as neurocirculatory dystonia also leads to the child’s legs hurting at night. In addition to this symptom, sleep disturbances and discomfort in the heart area may be disturbing.

Congenital pathologies of the cardiovascular system can cause similar problems. They are also caused by diseases of the nasopharynx and oral cavity. This could be caries, adenoiditis. A common cause of limb discomfort in childhood is injuries and bruises received during daytime play.

A healthy five-year-old child wakes up at night, cries, complains of pain in his legs, and cannot sleep for a long time. This alarming childhood symptom is called “growing pains,” and its occurrence is in no way associated with any disease. Medpulse talks about what growing pains are and how to help your child if they occur. ru.

Leg pain in children is not always associated with injuries and diseases of bones, joints, ligaments and muscles.

In most cases, they are caused by physiological processes occurring in the child’s body, which occur especially rapidly during periods of rapid growth and hormonal changes.
The symptom is called growing pains and occurs in one form or another in every second child.

When do growing pains occur?

The growth of a child implies an increase in all parts of his body in length and width, primarily due to the growth of the skeleton and muscles. By the age of four, children usually double their height recorded at birth, and by the age of 12-13 they triple. Babies grow most actively until they are one year old, then their growth slows down and becomes more uniform until the age of 4-5. The first growth spurt occurs in boys at the age of five, and in girls at the age of six. The second leap occurs respectively in boys at 9 years old, in girls at 10 years old, when children grow by 15-20 centimeters literally in a year. The third period of traction coincides with adolescence, begins at 13-15 years and ends at 18-20 years.

The appearance of pain in the legs is associated with periods of rapid growth of the child, in particular with a rapid increase in the length of the lower limbs. Doctors are still arguing about the causes of growing pains; most associate their appearance with uneven bone growth and tension in the periosteum covering them, which causes irritation of pain receptors and the appearance of aches in the legs. The occurrence of night pain and cramps in the leg muscles can be caused by the tension of muscle fibers that lag in growth behind the tubular bones of the lower extremities.

Age-appropriate diseases

In this category, we will analyze diseases that correspond to childhood and are the reason why heels hurt in a child aged about 10 years (from 7 years to 12 years).

Diseases

Haglund-Schinz disease (Osteochondropathy)

A typical pathology characteristic of childhood. At 8 and 9 years of age there is a peak of increasing physical activity and increasing load on the musculoskeletal system, which provokes the development of this disease. The child's complaint is usually that the heel is swollen and it hurts to step on it. Treatment of this disease is based primarily on reducing physical activity. In addition, physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic exercises are used.

Rupture of the cartilage tissue between the heel bone and the apophysis. Most often it occurs in teenage boys 11-12 years old who engage in professional sports with a lot of stress on the legs, this leads to the child’s heels hurting after training. In addition, this disease can be triggered by a lack of vitamin D in the child’s body, so epiphysitis very often affects children living in northern regions where there is a lack of this vitamin.

This disease is often confused with epiphysitis, although these are two completely different troubles. Apophysitis, unlike epiphysitis, is a disease caused by inflammation of the bone. It occurs mainly in children of preschool and primary school age, when the process of formation of the heel bone is underway and the apophysis plate is extremely weak. During physical activity, overstrain occurs in this area, and this is why the child’s heels hurt when walking.

This disease is based on inflammation of the fascia, the connective tissue that connects the metatarsal and heel bones. The cause of such inflammation may be wearing uncomfortable, too small shoes, as well as too much weight, inappropriate for age. With this disease, the patient will complain of sharp pain when walking, possibly even an increase in temperature.

The cause of this disease is an inflamed Achilles tendon. The disease occurs against the background of active sports, in particular jumping.

Injuries

Perhaps the most common reason that a child’s heels hurt when walking is a variety of injuries that accompany the active lifestyle typical of children. What to watch out for:

Any unfortunate fall can cause serious damage. Therefore, in each such case, you need to contact a specialist and be sure to take an x-ray. This is necessary, in particular, in order to diagnose a fracture of the calcaneus, the pain in which may be tolerable, and external damage may not be noticeable.

How to distinguish growing pains from injury and disease?

Growing pains most often occur in the lower legs, in particular in the calf muscles and ankle joint, behind the knees, and in the area of the outer thighs. The pain can be of a very different nature and range from mild sensations to severe cramps.

Mild, dull aching pain in bones, muscles and ligaments that occurs throughout the day usually goes unnoticed. This is not surprising: the child is constantly on the move, he is passionate about games and other interesting activities, weak stimuli are not able to distract him from studying the world around him. Pain in the legs begins to bother the child at rest, more often during the period of falling asleep, sleeping and waking up. There are complaints of aching bones and joints, often very painful muscle cramps, a feeling of numbness and stiffness in the limbs. The child's sleep is disturbed, which, in turn, aggravates the situation.

A characteristic feature of growing pains is their volatility. Most often they occur in one limb and are never localized in one place. The child either complains of pain in the ankle or points to a sore knee or hip.

Growing pains do not last long; they pass quickly and independently, without having time to cause the child severe suffering.

Growing pains are not accompanied by heightening of the body and do not worsen the general condition of the baby

. They are not accompanied by changes in the tissues of the limb; they are not characterized by the appearance of swelling, redness of the skin over the joints, limited mobility of bone joints and the appearance of lameness.

“Mom, my legs hurt!” How to recognize and eliminate night pain in children

Does your child wake up in the middle of the night and complain of leg pain? You stroke and knead his legs, calm him down, but don’t know: should you take him to the doctor or get by with painkillers? If there are no visible reasons for the pain, such as injuries, sprains and muscle sprains, internal diseases, then your child has the so-called growing pain syndrome .

The child's legs hurt

During the period of intensive growth (from 4 to 12 years), 15% of children experienced pain in the limbs at least once. And 50% of children experience such pain periodically. This usually happens before going to bed and at night, and in the morning the pain disappears. The child may wake up with leg pain. These phenomena do not harm the child, but can still cause him severe discomfort.

Experts have not come to a consensus about the causes of growing pains. Some believe that the cause of pain lies in the periosteum, which does not have time to grow behind the bones. Others argue that the problem is not at all in the bones, but in weak muscles and ligaments. Be that as it may, most likely the entire area of active growth hurts, and this prevents the child from sleeping normally.

Most children complain of pain in the front of the thighs, calves or behind the knees after an intense walk, run, jumping, swimming, or cycling. Little fidgets run around all day, unable to sit still, their muscles and ligaments are overstrained from constant stress.

In the evening, some children may feel soreness, convulsive muscle contractions, as after a long walk or a sharp jog without preparation. The pain can last from a few seconds to a couple of hours. For each child, the intensity of the sensations manifests itself differently, some even scream in pain and wake up crying at night.

There are several ways to distinguish childhood growing pains at night from serious illnesses and injuries.

Symptoms of Growing Pains

A typical sign of growing pains is that they only appear when the child is resting. When the baby lies, sits or sleeps, the leg muscles seem to begin to ache or buzz. Sometimes the child feels as if the bones are being stretched and twisted.
The child has a normal temperature and appetite, he does not look lethargic.
There is no redness, swelling, or skin changes in the area of pain. After the night pain passes, the baby is again alert and active.
Another sure sign of growing pains is how your baby reacts to touch. Children who have serious illnesses or injuries cannot tolerate being touched. With growing pains, the child feels relief when he is stroked, massaged and hugged.

You should consult a doctor if your child’s pain does not stop from morning to evening, the temperature rises and appetite disappears, and he feels weak and unwell. Growing pains can be easily managed at home and without medical intervention.

How to alleviate a child's condition

Calm the baby down, explain that his legs hurt because he is growing and becoming strong.
Stroking, light massage, rubbing, stretching, a warm bath with a soothing herbal decoction will help relieve tension and relax.
For severe pain, warm compresses and mustard plasters, rubbing with peach oil, Troxevasin, and Rescuer balm will help.
Bandages with elastic bandages are excellent for pain relief.
Squats, light jogging in place, exercises such as “Birch” and “Bicycle” improve the outflow of venous blood, distracting the child from pain and spasms.
If the child’s pain at night is so intense that he cannot sleep, you can give half of Paracetamol or Nurofen. Keep in mind that experts do not recommend giving aspirin to children.

Children who are actively involved in sports or dancing for several hours a day, who spend a lot of time in active games on the street, need to slow down and take a break. There is no need to burden children with additional activities; it is better to develop the habit of doing exercises in the morning.

During periods of intense growth, children definitely need adequate sleep. If home remedies for pain relief do not help, contact an experienced osteopath - in just a couple of sessions he can relax tense ligaments and create ideal conditions for bone growth. Growing pains are a temporary phenomenon and pass quickly.

A minimum of stress, trusting relationships in the family, a positive attitude from mom and dad will help the baby survive this difficult stage of development. Remember that being a child is no less difficult than being a parent.

Did you have growing pains ? How did your family cope with this syndrome? Share the article with your friends, it will be useful for them to learn about the characteristics of child development.

Source: https://labuda.blog/72677

What to do if your child has growing pains?

First of all, you should draw the attention of the pediatrician to the baby’s complaints, rule out limb injury and accompanying dislocations, fractures, sprains and tears of muscles and ligaments. Sometimes fleeting pains in bones and muscles are the first symptoms of the flu. Joint pain may be associated with arthritis, in particular rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs after a sore throat or pharyngitis. A complete examination of the child will remove suspicions about the disease and focus on combating growing pains.

First of all, when growing pains appear, you should pay attention to the child’s nutrition.

. During the period of active growth, it especially needs an uninterrupted supply of nutrients, especially proteins, vitamins, in particular vitamins A and D, and trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. The child's diet should contain enough meat, fish, liver, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, fruits and grains. In addition, additional intake of vitamin and mineral nutritional supplements is necessary.

A child's growth is controlled by hormones, in particular somatostatin, the main amount of which is synthesized during sleep. This is why proper sleep is important for a child’s health.

Stress, accompanied by the release of large amounts of adrenaline, affects the growth of a child. The baby should grow up in a friendly environment that promotes the normal functioning of the pituitary gland, which produces somatostatin.

The child’s legs hurt at night Komarovsky

Young parents are often faced with the question of why their child’s legs hurt. This pathology is most common among children aged 3–10 years and can indicate many different diseases. Therefore, you should not let this situation take its course.

Causes of symptoms in children

The presence of pain in the legs can be either a variant of the norm or evidence of various pathological processes and disorders in the functioning of the body.

Most often, children complain of painful sensations during sleep at night, the child wakes up in pain and cries. Growing pains are considered normal, provided that the level of pain is tolerable and the child’s condition is completely normal by the morning.

The most common areas in which nagging pain is observed are the muscles of the thighs and lower legs, as well as the knee joints. This localization is due to the fact that children’s legs grow the fastest. Cases of damage to the upper extremities are practically never encountered. Sometimes it is possible to experience pain in the abdomen or head.

The main causes of pain in the lower extremities in children:

A characteristic symptom for a period with increased growth activity. Bones, joints and the vessels that feed them work in a special mode to ensure the necessary rates of growth and metabolism for the child’s body. For the coordinated operation of all systems and provision of nutrition to the tissues, there must be sufficient blood supply. At night, the intensity of blood circulation decreases, resulting in pain.
Orthopedic disorders - pathology of one area of the leg develops. The reason is improper distribution of pressure on part of the leg as a result of a shift in the center of gravity.
The presence of any infectious diseases can cause joint pain.
Disorders of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems lead to sleep disturbances, headaches, and discomfort in the abdominal and heart areas.
Congenital connective tissue defects—affect posture and disrupt blood flow.
Injuries and accompanying inflammatory processes.
An unstable emotional state and stress manifest themselves in the form of lameness, which is especially visible in moments of strong emotions in a child.
Uncomfortable shoes, which can cause calluses and discomfort.
Lack of nutrients and microelements, primarily a deficiency of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus in the body.

Possible diseases

Aching muscle pain, discomfort in the hip, knee and lower legs may indicate the presence of some disease.

List of possible diseases:

flat feet and poor posture;
chronic tonsillitis, inflammation of the adenoids, multiple foci of caries;
diabetes mellitus, disorders of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland;
rheumatoid arthritis, Still's disease, Schlatter's disease;
syndrome of persistent low blood pressure;
phlebeurysm;
acute viral infections.

The list of possible diseases is much longer; symptoms can indicate many different diagnoses.

Which doctors to contact and how to treat

Parents are able to suspect the first symptoms at home, observing the child’s behavior, well-being and appetite. You also need to carefully monitor changes in body temperature and remember under what circumstances this occurs. Possible precursors to poor health are recent illnesses, digestive system disorders, or injuries. To make a correct diagnosis, you should promptly seek advice from a specialist and undergo prescribed tests from the following doctors:

pediatrician;
pediatric neurologist;
surgeon;
orthopedist-traumatologist;
hematologist.

Well-known pediatrician Komarovsky recommends not postponing a visit to the doctor if the child complains of severe pain, which is often repeated, and if there are other symptoms.

Our readers successfully use SustaLife to treat joints. Seeing how popular this product is, we decided to bring it to your attention. Read more here...

What to do during treatment is determined by the doctor. The treatment regimen is prescribed after examination and tests. Medicines are prescribed with a schedule for their correct administration, in addition a list of recommendations, a special diet and a set of exercises are compiled.

What to do for pain relief

A light foot massage is used as first aid. Stroking movements stimulate blood flow, as a result of which the pain goes away and the child sleeps peacefully at night. To relieve the condition, relaxing warm baths with sea salt or herbs are often used. For children whose pain intensifies from exposure to heat, you can try pouring cool water over their feet.

Another option is to invite the child to lift his legs up and hold them in this position for a while. As the blood drains away, relief may occur.

For more severe pain, it is recommended to use an average-age dosage of an anesthetic, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.

It is permissible to take painkillers before bed if there are repeated episodes of pain attacks several nights in a row. The dosage is selected according to the age of the child.

What is recommended to relieve leg pain and ease the child’s suffering?

— Leave the child in bed.

- Lightly massage the sore leg, using light stroking, rubbing, kneading movements - the child himself will indicate what is best for him.

- During the massage, you can use warming ointments, gels, balms, essential oils - the main thing is to take into account the age of the child and maintain an acceptable dosage.

— It is useful to apply a warm heating pad to the sore spot or give your baby a warm bath, this will help him relax and relieve muscle tension.

Attention!

You can use painkillers only as prescribed by a doctor.

. As a rule, pain associated with growth does not require the use of drugs, and if you cannot cope with the methods described, it is worth considering another cause of the ailment.

Doctors note leg pain among all common childhood diseases. They can appear for a variety of reasons, both harmless and not so, when they serve as a symptom of the development of serious illnesses. If, this may indicate the development of a number of diseases that have different causes and manifestations. Therefore, in each case, it is necessary to clearly clarify the exact localization of pain that can form in muscles, bones, and so on. Such sensations can occur at any age of the child, but in isolated cases there is no need to run to a medical facility, but it is not recommended to ignore severe attacks of pain. The first thing to do is to determine the source of the combat syndrome as precisely as possible.

Diseases uncharacteristic of childhood

Heel spur or plantar fasciitis

If a child has a lump on his heel and it hurts to walk, then most likely this is caused by the appearance of a heel spur, a calcium-salt growth on the bone. The final diagnosis is usually confirmed by x-ray. Heel spurs can be treated in the initial stages with a variety of topical remedies, as well as proven folk remedies, but do not forget that not all of them are suitable for children.

This is an inflammation of the sacs located at the junction of the joints. The fluid in these sacs is needed to soften the movement of tendons and muscles. If a teenager has bursitis, there will be complaints of sharp pain and fever. The sore spot is swollen and red. This disease is treated with a course of antibiotics, and the affected limb is fixed.

Tenosynovitis of the Achilles tendon

Again, this is a disease unique to child athletes. Inflammation in the tendon sheaths, due to which the tendon thickens and prevents painless movement of the foot.

Read on our website what a heel spike is and how to treat this disease.

Signs and causes

The appearance of pain in the lower extremities is typical for children aged two to nine years. The peak of this disease is considered to be between five and six years of age. In this case, the child often complains of pain in the legs, especially when he has to stand or walk. It also happens that pain is observed in the morning, in the first half hour after waking up. Several decades ago, doctors explained this by the fact that the child’s body does not have enough vitamin D, as well as the rapid growth of the child.

But with the development of immunology, it became clear that in most cases pain is caused by inflammatory processes of a chronic nature, for example, inflammation of the adenoids or urinary tract, dysbiosis, etc. The reason for this is a rheumatic reaction to an infectious process. Reactions to vaccinations may also occur; in this case, children's immunity is weakened and tense, and it cannot cope with infections. Therefore, immune cells attack the tendons, causing pain at the muscle attachment points. With streptococcal infection, the child also complains that his legs hurt. There are many reasons for this disease; we will consider the most common of them below.

The child’s legs hurt at night Komarovsky

Causes of symptoms in children

The presence of pain in the legs can be either a variant of the norm or evidence of various pathological processes and disorders in the functioning of the body.

The main causes of pain in the lower extremities in children:

A characteristic symptom for a period with increased growth activity. Bones, joints and the vessels that feed them work in a special mode to ensure the necessary rates of growth and metabolism for the child’s body. For the coordinated operation of all systems and provision of nutrition to the tissues, there must be sufficient blood supply. At night, the intensity of blood circulation decreases, resulting in pain.
Orthopedic disorders - pathology of one area of the leg develops. The reason is improper distribution of pressure on part of the leg as a result of a shift in the center of gravity.
The presence of any infectious diseases can cause joint pain.
Disorders of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems lead to sleep disturbances, headaches, and discomfort in the abdominal and heart areas.
Congenital connective tissue defects—affect posture and disrupt blood flow.
Injuries and accompanying inflammatory processes.
An unstable emotional state and stress manifest themselves in the form of lameness, which is especially visible in moments of strong emotions in a child.
Uncomfortable shoes, which can cause calluses and discomfort.
Lack of nutrients and microelements, primarily a deficiency of calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus in the body.

Possible diseases

Aching muscle pain, discomfort in the hip, knee and lower legs may indicate the presence of some disease.

List of possible diseases:

flat feet and poor posture;
chronic tonsillitis, inflammation of the adenoids, multiple foci of caries;
diabetes mellitus, disorders of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland;
rheumatoid arthritis, Still's disease, Schlatter's disease;
syndrome of persistent low blood pressure;
phlebeurysm;
acute viral infections.

The list of possible diseases is much longer; symptoms can indicate many different diagnoses.

Which doctors to contact and how to treat

pediatrician;
pediatric neurologist;
surgeon;
orthopedist-traumatologist;
hematologist.

Well-known pediatrician Komarovsky recommends not postponing a visit to the doctor if the child complains of severe pain, which is often repeated, and if there are other symptoms.

Our readers successfully use SustaLife to treat joints. Seeing how popular this product is, we decided to bring it to your attention. Read more here...

What to do during treatment is determined by the doctor. The treatment regimen is prescribed after examination and tests. Medicines are prescribed with a schedule for their correct administration, in addition a list of recommendations, a special diet and a set of exercises are compiled.

What to do for pain relief

Another option is to invite the child to lift his legs up and hold them in this position for a while. As the blood drains away, relief may occur.

For more severe pain, it is recommended to use an average-age dosage of an anesthetic, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.

It is permissible to take painkillers before bed if there are repeated episodes of pain attacks several nights in a row. The dosage is selected according to the age of the child.

Prevention

For preventive purposes, it is recommended to provide the child with a balanced diet and form the habit of leading an active lifestyle from an early age. The daily diet should contain sufficient amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and fish.

Features of the child's body

In childhood, the structure and development of bone tissue, ligaments, and muscles occurs, the features of which depend on nutrition, metabolism and growth rate. The child's legs and feet grow quickly, so there must be a good blood supply in these places. Tissues that grow are supplied with blood through blood vessels. But they have a small amount of elastic fibers, so during physical activity, blood circulation in the limbs increases, bones and muscles grow and develop normally. At rest, the child complains of pain in the legs, at night vascular tone decreases, and unpleasant sensations appear.

Growing pains: the main thing is that both legs hurt at night | Mercy.ru

Photo from health.qld.gov.au

The term “growing pains” itself is conditional. Why?

There is an established medical fact: many children 3-4 years old experience evening or night pain in their legs. They go away after some time and then return again at the age of 6-12 years.

But as for the reason that causes these pains, there is no firm certainty, but only hypotheses. Presumably, they appear during periods of active child growth. The bones of the legs quickly increase in length, which causes tension in the muscles and tendons, hence the pain.

The second hypothesis is that the child’s daily activity - running, jumping, climbing, and other outdoor games - creates a large load on the leg muscles, so they may hurt in the evening or at night.

This hypothesis is supported by the fact that 50% of children have leg pain at any age. However, not everyone grows at the same speed, so pain, if it is caused by growth, may have its own age calendar for each child.

There is another hypothesis. Some experts suggest that this type of pain is present in those children who develop restless leg syndrome as they age.

A person experiences discomfort in the lower extremities, most often in the evening and at night. The patient constantly changes the position of his legs, cannot calm down and fall asleep. The origin of this disorder is still not very clear.

One way or another, the phenomenon of children’s night pain in the legs has been given the name “growing pain.”

How do they manifest themselves?

Photo from consumerlab.com

Most often, the child has pain in the muscles of the legs and thighs, and the area of the knee joints. Sometimes this may result in a headache or stomach pain.

For different children, these pains may have different frequency: for one they bother them every night for a long period of time, for another they happen only occasionally.

For some, their legs hurt more often in the evening, when going to bed, and prevent them from falling asleep; for others, the pain wakes them up in the middle of the night, and the child begins to cry in bed. Most often, such episodes occur a few hours after falling asleep, although an attack of pain is quite possible late at night. Children usually complain by pointing to the front or back of the knee, just above the knee, or to the shin.

Usually the attack of pain lasts 10-15 minutes, and the next morning and throughout the day it does not remind itself at all.

Sometimes the child wakes up several nights in a row, but more often such painful attacks occur only from time to time over several weeks or months, then disappear for some time. Subsequently they may resume.

How can you understand that these are growing pains and not some serious disease?

Photo from medicalnewstoday.com

The main sign, as mentioned above, is that the pain bothers you at night or in the evening, but in the morning and during the day the child feels normal.

The second important sign is pain in both limbs at the same time. If only one leg hurts, a different diagnosis should be assumed.

Another feature of growing pains: large joints (knees) hurt, not the toes.

And, let us remind you once again, if the child is under three (and some experts believe four) years old, then you should also look for another explanation for the pain in the legs.

Growing pains are not dangerous, however, it is better to show your child to a doctor. In case of growing pains, the doctor, examining the patient, will not see anything alarming. In this case, tests and x-rays will be redundant.

In what cases is it necessary to consult a doctor?

verywellhealth.com

As mentioned above, if a child under 3 (4) years of age complains of pain in the legs.
If your child experiences prolonged pain in one limb.
If pain in the legs is combined with lameness or a noticeable deterioration in general condition, an increase in temperature.
If your child complains that it hurts to walk.
If the joints are swollen and the skin in the areas where the pain is localized is red.
If pain is accompanied by weakness, weight loss.
If the pain is accompanied by a rash.

With these symptoms, the cause of the pain may be arthritis or some infectious disease.

If there is any doubt, it is still better to show the child to a doctor.

ARVI and nasopharyngeal infections

When a viral infection is observed in the body, a fever appears, the child complains of pain in the legs. Parents can give him paracetamol or other medicine for ARVI. Usually, after treating a cold, the pain syndrome disappears completely. But sometimes the pain is very severe and prolonged, in which case it is recommended to immediately call a doctor. Otherwise, complications may occur. Pain syndrome can also be observed with caries, tonsillitis, adenoids and other infectious diseases.

Weakness in arms and legs. Exercises recommended by Dr. Bubnovsky (video)

The video discusses a congenital disease - dysplasia, characterized by leg and hand weakness, frequent dizziness and high blood pressure. Special exercises and proper breathing to eliminate weakness.

Muscle weakness is a phenomenon inherent in everyone. Everyone can fight the disease, especially in cases of overwork and lack of physical activity. But for more serious reasons, you will need the help of a specialist. He will diagnose the problem and prescribe effective treatment. Follow the recommendations, and myasthenia gravis will bypass you.

You can often hear even from young and healthy people that their legs give way. This state of muscle weakness, otherwise called paresis of the limbs, is sometimes inherent in any person, be it a child or a very old man. Sometimes the weakness is so severe that the person actually cannot walk. Naturally, this condition raises a lot of questions and fears, with which the patient begins to run to doctors.

Causes

There are two main causes of weakness in the legs:

An existing serious illness, and weakness in the legs is only a symptom of the disease
Increased fatigue, in which muscle weakness disappears with proper rest and relaxation.

In case of long-term, ongoing weakness, the patient should definitely be examined for the following diseases:

Neurological group

A huge number of pathologies of the central nervous system can lead to muscle weakness of the limbs.

Often the patient experiences weakness in the arms and legs - this is the so-called total defeat. The reasons for this negative state of the nervous system may be the following:

Multiple sclerosis. A very serious disease that causes damage to the nerve endings of both the brain and spinal cord
Stroke. It is characterized by a significant impairment of cerebral circulation, which leads to either unilateral paralysis or paralysis of the lower extremities. Gradually increasing weakness on the left side of the body, headaches, loss of vision are serious symptoms for which the patient should be immediately hospitalized
Guillain-Barre syndrome. An autoimmune disease that begins with weakness in the legs, knees and numbness of the extremities
Sustaining a brain or spinal cord injury. Injuries to the spinal cord nerves particularly affect the onset of the disease
Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system - polio, meningitis, encephalitis.

Spinal diseases

This group includes diseases such as osteochondrosis, especially of the lumbosacral region, herniated intervertebral disc, and curvature of the spine. With diseases of the spine, along with paresis of the legs, patients report severe pain in the limbs and joints. If a patient, in addition to muscle weakness, has pain in the knees, this is a reason to consult a rheumatologist in order to rule out such a serious disease as rheumatoid arthritis.

Malfunctions of the endocrine system

This may be diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, or electrolyte metabolism disorder.

Poisoning, intoxication of the body caused by drug use, botulinum toxin
Genetic diseases: muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, myotonic dystrophy
The following clinical picture is often encountered: the patient complains of weakness of the muscles of only the left leg. This symptom is a reason to suspect damage to the femoral or sciatic nerve. This is a reason to immediately contact a neurologist.

There are many other causes of the disease - pregnancy, cancer, old age, but, as a rule, pain and weakness in the muscles are not the main symptom.

Features in children and the elderly

Separately, it is worth paying attention to the causes of muscle weakness in old age. Often, older people have many diseases that lead to a person experiencing a loss of strength. However, in addition to this condition, older people also have sagging muscles, they become weaker and lose strength. This is facilitated by both increased body weight and limited mobility.

Older people are afraid of falls, go outside less often, and move less. As a result, the ability of the muscle to contract decreases, and weakness appears in the legs and arms. This sometimes ends in complete muscle atrophy.

Paediatricians also observe limb paresis in their practice. Muscle hypotonia and paresis in a child can be congenital and can be successfully corrected in the first months of the baby’s life.

Sometimes muscle weakness manifests itself at the age when the baby begins to walk. There is an explanation for this. The child gets up on his feet, tries to constantly improve the acquired skill, while the body weight puts pressure on the baby’s fragile muscles, as a result of which rapid fatigue occurs, the legs weaken, and the child complains of pain. In this case, parents should not allow their baby to remain in an upright position for a long time.

The disease in children, as well as in adults, can be caused by diseases of the spine, neurological diseases, sepsis or malfunctions of the endocrine system. It happens that the causes of hypotonia of the leg muscles in children is a lack of vitamin D in the body, which sooner or later leads to rickets. In some cases, hereditary pathologies of the musculoskeletal system cause severe muscle hypotonia and dystrophy, ultimately leading to death.

Treatment

Weakness in the legs, pain in the knees and heels resulting from fatigue do not require special treatment. It is enough to wear comfortable shoes instead of heavy boots or high-heeled shoes, or be at peace for a while, relax, and the unpleasant manifestations will disappear.

In case of increasing weakness of the left side of the body, the possibility of a stroke should be immediately excluded! General muscle weakness or incipient paresis of the lower part can be a symptom of a serious illness. Treatment in this case should be aimed at existing ailments. It could be:

Surgical treatment - removal of hematoma, tumor, abscess
Antibacterial therapy for infectious lesions of the brain or spinal cord, necessary pain relief for severe knee pain
Administration of antitoxic drugs
Treatment with drugs that improve neuromuscular activity
Treatment with drugs that improve cerebral circulation and brain activity
Treatment of poisoning
Developing muscles using special gymnastics.

Under no circumstances should you delay treatment. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent loss of muscle strength in the arms or legs and a decrease in overall quality of life.

Prevention

You can avoid the manifestation of the disease in your legs and knees by carrying out simple preventive measures in a timely manner:

Mandatory blood pressure monitoring
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, a reasonable approach to work and rest. Daily walks in the fresh air, exercise to help you feel better, and avoiding taking drugs and alcohol help you maintain physical health and activity longer.
Eating fresh food
Avoiding fatigue and nervous stress
Timely consultation with a doctor if health problems arise
Timely treatment of infectious diseases.

In old age, limited mobility should be eliminated, try to engage in physical therapy if your health allows, lead an active lifestyle, definitely walk in the fresh air (it’s better if it’s a brisk walk), massage courses for weak limbs.

Do not neglect such safe walking measures as canes, walkers, and when going down stairs, hold on to the handrails.

Leg injuries

Bruises and injuries are the most common causes of leg pain, especially if the child is very active and energetic. They usually heal on their own and the pain goes away, but in some cases they can cause lameness. The child often cannot stand on his feet, so it is recommended to consult a specialist who will prescribe an x-ray to identify the causes of discomfort. Older children often strain the muscles in their lower extremities, as well as ligaments. Pain can also be caused by knee bruises, ingrown toenails, uncomfortable shoes and tendon sprains.

Common reasons why a child has heel pain

So, the child’s heel hurts and it is very painful to step on it. With what it can be connected? The reason may be trivial and not requiring serious treatment. For example, after the summer holidays, your student went to school, and there, in addition to lessons, he began to attend various clubs and sections, for example, dance or sports. The load on the legs immediately increased significantly, and the small body simply cannot cope with it. Uncomfortable shoes can also make it painful for your child to step on their heel. In addition, a child’s heel pain when walking can be caused by a lack of calcium in the body, general vitamin deficiency, as well as too much body weight, greatly exceeding the age norm.

Development of osteochondropathy

They can provoke the appearance of pain in the limbs and osteochondropathy, which include:

Osgood-Schlatter disease. Characterized by damage to the tibia. The disease appears in adolescents around ten or twelve years of age who play sports. The disease is caused by loads on the knee joint during the period of growth of the child’s body, as a result of which necrosis is observed in the cartilage of the tibia. At the same time, he develops knee swelling, a painful lump, and the knee joint is affected.
Perthes disease, which is caused by necrosis of the femoral head, the cause of which is currently unknown. The disease mainly affects boys from three to fourteen years old, pain appears in the knee, hip joint, and lameness occurs.

Muscle weakness with VSD, depression, neurosis

VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia) manifests itself in certain diseases, including hormonal disorders and mitochondrial pathology. A number of symptoms develop against the background of autonomic dysfunction of the vascular system and cardiac muscle. This is what leads to poor circulation.

As a result, the limbs do not receive enough oxygen and red blood cells. It is difficult to remove carbon dioxide from the body. This causes severe weakness, dizziness or even body aches, and with advanced VSD, fainting.

The best way to eliminate the disease is physical activity. To normalize metabolic processes, lactic acid is needed, the production of which stops with low physical activity. Doctors recommend moving more - walking, running, doing daily warm-ups.

Drug and traditional therapies are not only ineffective, but are also fraught with complications due to muscle weakness due to VSD.

Depression against the background of disappointment, loss, bad mood and other difficulties can drive you into a melancholic state. Symptoms may include lack of appetite, nausea, dizziness, strange thoughts, pain in the heart - all this manifests itself in the form of weakness, including muscle weakness.

For depression, the following procedures will help overcome muscle weakness:

proper nutrition;
good sleep;
cold and hot shower;
positive emotions;
help from a psychotherapist (for severe depression).

Neurosis is characterized by nervous exhaustion of the body through prolonged stress. The disease is often accompanied by VSD. In addition to physical weakness, there is also mental weakness. To eliminate the consequences, a set of measures is required, including a change in lifestyle, giving up bad habits, playing sports, walking in the fresh air, as well as drug therapy and a course of psychotherapy with a specialist.

When to see a doctor

When accompanied by inflammation and redness of the joints or if a fracture or sprain is suspected, as well as in the presence of lameness for a long time, you need to consult a doctor. He will make a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment. This is done by specialists such as a neurologist, hematologist, pediatrician or orthopedist. If the joint turns brown, this may indicate an infection has entered the body. If, for example, a 4-year-old child complains of leg pain in the morning for a long time, this may indicate that he has Still's disease or leukemia. Doctors will prescribe blood and urine tests, conduct diagnostics using ECG and X-rays, and then make an accurate diagnosis. In any case, parents are obliged to monitor their children, feed them properly, and not limit their movements. A child’s diet must contain all the nutrients necessary for the normal development of the body.

Symptoms and treatment of reactive arthritis

If reactive arthritis is suspected, the doctor will ask if the child has recently had the flu, sore throat or rotavirus, because joint inflammation is one of the consequences of these diseases.

In the hospital, the baby's blood will be taken, including for rheumatoid factor, to rule out a more serious disease - rheumatoid arthritis. An X-ray of the affected joint will be taken to determine whether there has been any injury and whether the child has pathologies of the skeletal system that can cause pain.

The next step is an ultrasound of the joint the child is complaining about. If there is inflammation, the doctor will detect the presence of synovial fluid in it. This is precisely what will be a characteristic sign of reactive arthritis. Fluid may be found in other joints, but in smaller quantities. After the initial examination, you may be advised to stay in the hospital for further monitoring of the child’s condition and treatment. Many parents refuse hospitalization, preferring to be treated at home, since usually within a few hours after the disease is detected, the child becomes better and can already walk (and in the morning he could not even step on his foot). But it’s better not to take risks, but to stay in the hospital in order to undergo treatment under the supervision of doctors.

Most likely, the child will be prescribed the following:

Anti-inflammatory therapy (children's Nurofen or Ortofen);
Antiallergic drugs (Suprastin);
Magnetic therapy for a sore joint;
Strict bed rest and complete elimination of stress on the joint.

If the treatment is effective and a week after the onset of the disease, an ultrasound shows the disappearance or decrease in the amount of fluid in the joint, then the child will most likely be sent home. But it must be taken into account that he will have to remain on bed rest for at least two more weeks. After a month, you should visit your local rheumatologist, who will prescribe additional examinations and medications to avoid recurrence of this disease.

As your baby grows, so does his physical activity. But in addition to the benefits for the body, this can also lead to some side effects. For example, to such an unpleasant situation when your child complains that his heel hurts. You need to know that a number of reasons can lead to this, from completely harmless to serious illnesses that require an immediate visit to the doctor. In this article we will find out why a child’s heels hurt when walking, what diseases can cause such a symptom, and what needs to be done to avoid this problem in the future.

Treatment

Having consulted a doctor and found out, it is necessary to carry out appropriate treatment. Thus, antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat arthritis. For Perthes disease, calcium and vitamins are prescribed, as well as electrophoresis and massage, and in some cases they resort to surgery. With Schlatter-Osgood disease, the child is restricted from movements that put stress on the knee joints. It is recommended to engage in swimming and therapeutic physical exercise. Anti-inflammatory and painkillers are also used, and electrophoresis is prescribed. For flat feet, it is necessary to use orthopedic shoes, massage and exercise therapy are indicated. VSD and hypotension require stabilization of blood pressure and increased vascular tone. If pain is associated with the growth of the child, it is recommended to rub the limbs with warming ointments, massage and foot baths.

Help with severe heel pain

Let us note once again that there is no need to self-medicate. At the first complaint of pain, take your son or daughter to a specialist. The symptoms of many of the above diseases are very similar, and only a doctor can make the correct diagnosis. But what to do if there is no opportunity to contact a specialist, for example, the trouble occurred while on vacation outside the city? Try to reduce the patient’s physical activity to zero; in other words, provide him with bed rest and fix the foot in one position, for example, with an elastic bandage. The sore limb can be placed on a pillow so that it is at some elevation. Use painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications that are suitable for children.