Growing Pains and Growth Related Disorders

Many adolescent and pre-adolescent children complain of aches and pains during growth spurts. Growing pains are very different to growth related disorders.

Growing Pains:

• No pain on touch

• Affects the lower limbs

• No inflammation

• Intermittent

• Symmetrical

Growth Related Disorders:

• Can affect the upper and lower limbs

• Pain on touch/palpation

• Unilateral or asymmetric

• Aggravated by activity

Diagnosis and treatment

Growing Pains

An ultrasound study found that the bone density of children experiencing pain was lower than similar children without pain, suggesting the pain experienced may be caused by bone fatigue. This perhaps explains why pain is intermittent.

What can be done:

• Sports massage and stretching help to alleviate the symptoms.

Heel Pain (Calcaneus Apophysitis or Sever’s disease)

Symptoms: pain in heel, localised, not involving the ankle joint

A common injury in children between the ages of 8 to 13 years of age. It has been known to be more prevalent in boys than girls, but incidences in girls are increasing due to playing more sport. It is an overload injury to the growth plate to the calcaneus (heel bone). It is a similar condition to Osgood-Schlatter disease, and is self-limiting.

What can be done

• Stopping sports activity till inflammation and pain has gone down.

• Hot and cold compress to reduce pain in the acute phase.

• Treatments of Sports Massage and Muscle Energy Techniques can be used to treat the calf muscles and the achilles tendon. Helping to elongate the fibres to reduce calf tightness and pain.

Shin Pain (Osgood-Schlatters Disease)

Symptoms: pain in shin bone, sometimes extending to the base of the knee

A common condition in children in their adolescent years. Typing when children are playing more sports as a part of their physical education. The tendonus end of the patella tendon (attached to the tibial tuberosity) is placed under repetitive use causing knee pain and discomfort. It is self-limiting.

What can be done

• Withdrawal from sport to allow rest.

• Treatment using sports therapy tape can help to support the tendon to reduce further injury.

• Sports massage and myofascial work to increase soft tissue function and repair.

• Hot compress to help with discomfort and tissue repair.

Shin Splints (Medial tibial stress syndrome)

Symptoms: Painful and tenderness to the shin and surrounding muscle tissue.

Repetitive stress injury to the shin bone and soft tissue surrounding the area. The condition occurs when there has been an increased mileage and/or training. As a result the muscle (tibialis anterior) increases in size and becomes inflamed and doesn’t have time to recover properly in between events or training, causing pain and discomfort.
This is also a common injury in adolescent children as their bones lengthen, the muscles take a little longer to catch up during the lengthening process.

What can be done

• Sports massage helps with muscle recovery and repair.

• Hot compress to help with pain and discomfort.

• Sports therapy tape can help to support soft tissue structures either by gently elongating or supporting them.