Knee pain can affect children, particularly those who are very active, but there may be an underlying condition that is causing it.

Overview

What is knee pain in children?

Some children may experience knee pain and this can be dismissed by some as growing pains. However, this is not always the case.

Cause

If your child is particularly active then this may be one cause. Furthermore, there can be small tears in the cartilage or a strain on the muscle or tendon.

In less common cases, there are certain conditions that can cause knee pain in children such as Perthes disease or SUFE (slipped upper femoral epiphysis). There is more information to these conditions via the link below.

Diagnosis

An assessment will help your child’s doctor to try to determine the cause. This may include a physical exam and X-rays of the knee, leg and hip. It can difficult to quickly find the cause as symptoms can be vague and difficult to describe, so often conditions are ruled out first.

Treatment

The treatment will very much depend on the cause of the pain so it is best to first receive an accurate diagnosis before considering the options that you are provided or recommended for your child.

Helpful resources

• Steps: Perthes disease
• Steps: SCFE/ SUFE – Slipped Epiphysis