Many children experience aches in their legs as they grow, often called growing pains. These aches usually affect both legs and can occur in the thighs, behind the knees, or in the calves. Pain frequently appears later in the day or at night and can sometimes wake a child.
We see many families with these concerns. While growing pains are common and not harmful, they can cause real discomfort and worry. As a dedicated podiatry service for children, our podiatrists help kids move comfortably again with practical, gentle treatments and clear guidance for parents.
Benefits of Our Growing Pains Care
Our goal is to relieve your child’s pain, restore comfort, and make sure they can stay active and happy. Your child receives a complete lower limb assessment to identify any factors that may be contributing to their discomfort.
Our approach helps to:
- Ease muscle tension and nighttime pain
- Improve posture and foot alignment
- Support active play and sport without discomfort
- Reassure parents with a clear understanding of what’s happening
Every child is different, so our care is tailored to suit their needs and activity levels.
What You Need to Know About Growing Pains
Who benefits most from our treatment?
Growing pains often affect children between the ages of three and five, and again between eight and eleven. Boys and girls are equally affected. These aches tend to appear more often in active children who spend a lot of time running and playing sports. Some may continue to feel discomfort into their early teens, but the symptoms usually fade over time.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Typical growing pains symptoms include aching or cramping in both legs, most often in the thighs, calves, or behind the knees. These growing pains in the legs usually appear in the late afternoon, evening, or during the night, and often settle by morning.
It’s important to note that the discomfort comes from the muscles, not the joints. When children describe growing pains in the knees, the pain is usually felt behind or around the knee area, rather than inside the joint itself.
If your child has swelling, redness, or pain in one specific area, or if the pain lasts through the day, it’s important to have them reviewed by a health professional.
We carry out an assessment of your child’s feet and legs, checking posture, muscle flexibility, and alignment to rule out other causes.
Growing pains treatment
Most children respond well to simple, supportive care. Our growing pains treatment plans may include:
- Gentle massage or heat packs to relax the muscles
- Stretching before bedtime to reduce nighttime discomfort
- Supportive, properly fitted footwear for sport and play
- Custom orthotics if alignment is increasing muscle strain
- Advice on pain relief, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, when appropriate and approved by your doctor or pharmacist
We also guide parents on balancing activities, recovery, and managing flare-ups when they occur.
How It Works
- Initial consultation: We take a detailed history and assess your child’s movement, posture, and foot alignment.
- Diagnosis: We confirm that the pain fits the pattern of growing pains and rule out other conditions.
- Treatment plan: We recommend stretches, footwear advice, and orthotics if needed.
- Follow-up: We review progress and adjust care as your child grows.
Why Choose Us
Families choose us because we take the time to listen and explain things clearly. Our podiatrists have years of experience treating children and use gentle, evidence-based methods that work.
We’re a family-friendly clinic that provides thorough assessments, practical treatment options, and a caring environment for every visit.
If your child is waking at night with sore legs or struggling after sport, we can help.
Book an appointment today and let’s work together to ease their pain and keep them moving comfortably.