Calm assessment can clarify leg pain patterns.

Growing pains in children describe a common pattern of leg aches that often appear in the evening or overnight. Parents often notice them after busy days of sport, running, jumping or active play.

Despite the name, research has not confirmed that growth itself causes the pain. Many children seem to experience a muscle ache pattern linked with activity, fatigue and recovery. Most cases are not serious. However, some youth injuries and growth-related conditions can feel similar at first.

What do growing pains usually feel like?

Children describe growing pains in different ways. Some say their legs ache, throb or feel sore. Others wake at night and ask for a rub. Many parents notice that their child looks fine the next morning and runs around as usual.

Why do growing pains happen?

The exact cause remains debated. However, many clinicians view growing pains as a load-and-recovery issue. In simple terms, a child’s muscles and joints may feel sore when activity increases faster than the body can adapt.

This can happen during growth spurts, sports seasons or busy school terms. It can also occur when children stack school sport, training, weekend games and active play without enough recovery.

Temporary changes in flexibility, coordination and strength can occur as children grow. As a result, some children place more stress through certain tissues until their movement patterns and strength catch up.

Growing pains vs sports injury

Movement screening can help guide next steps.

Parents often ask, “How do I know it is not an injury?” Growing pains usually do not cause pain during sport. They also rarely cause limping. In contrast, an overload injury often hurts during or after activity and may linger into the next day.

These growth-related conditions can feel similar at first:

• Sever’s disease — heel pain linked with running and jumping load
• Osgood-Schlatter disease — pain below the kneecap, often worse with kneeling, running and jumping
• Sinding Larsen Johansson syndrome — pain at the lower kneecap in active children
• muscle strains or tendon overload from sprinting, kicking or rapid direction changes

When should parents worry?

Book an assessment if your child has any of the following signs:

• pain during the day, or pain that reliably flares during sport
• limping, reduced activity or refusal to bear weight
• swelling, redness, heat or marked tenderness
• persistent pain on one side only
• pain that steadily worsens rather than coming and going
• fever, feeling unwell or unexplained weight loss

What signs suggest this is not just growing pains?

Growing pains usually come and go. They should not cause day-time pain, swelling or an ongoing limp. Persistent one-sided pain, pain over a bony area, swelling, sport-related pain or pain that worsens over time suggests another cause and should be assessed.

Other youth leg pain causes include avulsion fractures, muscle strains, tendon overload, tibial stress injuries and foot or ankle overload.

What can help growing pains at home?

Simple care may help when symptoms follow the usual growing pains pattern.

• Use gentle massage or warmth before bed.
• Keep bedtime routines steady during busy sports weeks.
• Reduce sharp spikes in running, jumping and weekend sport load.
• Try gentle stretches if they feel comfortable.
• Track whether symptoms settle fully by morning.

Avoid pushing through pain that changes your child’s walking, running or mood. That pattern needs review.

How physiotherapy may help

A physiotherapist can check movement quality, strength, flexibility, balance and sport load. They may also review footwear, training changes, running and jumping demands, and recovery routines.

Depending on your child’s needs, this may include pacing advice during busy weeks, simple mobility work, strength progressions and recovery strategies that fit school and sport routines. Assessment can also help rule out other causes of leg pain. That reassurance helps families make confident decisions about sport participation.

For a more detailed pathway, see our Kids Leg Pain guide.

Growing pains FAQs

Infographic outlining growing pain symptoms, warning signs and simple care advice.

What age do growing pains happen?

Growing pains commonly occur in primary school years and early adolescence, but patterns vary between children. Age alone does not confirm the diagnosis, so the symptom pattern matters more than the exact age.

Do growing pains happen in both legs?

They often affect both legs, especially the calves, thighs or behind the knees. Some children report one side more at times. Persistent one-sided pain, especially with tenderness, swelling or limping, should be assessed.

Do growing pains mean my child is growing quickly?

Not necessarily. The term is common, but research has not shown that bone growth directly causes the pain. Activity load, fatigue and recovery may play a role for some children.

Can my child keep playing sport with growing pains?

Many children can continue sport if symptoms fit the typical pattern and settle by morning. If pain starts during sport, changes movement or causes limping, reduce load and organise assessment.

What helps growing pains at home?

Gentle massage, warmth, comfortable stretching and sensible activity pacing may help. A simple symptom diary can also track activity, pain timing, pain location and whether symptoms settle by morning.

When should I see a physiotherapist?

Consider assessment if pain persists, worsens, causes limping, happens during the day, affects sport or comes with swelling, redness or heat.

What to do next

If your child’s symptoms fit the typical pattern and settle by morning, monitor activity load and recovery for a week or two. If pain changes, becomes one-sided, limits sport or causes limping, arrange an assessment.

A physiotherapist can assess your child’s movement and help guide a safe plan for school, sport and play.

References

1. O’Keeffe M, Kamper SJ, Montgomery L, et al. Defining growing pains: a scoping review. Pediatrics. 2022;150(2):e2021052578. doi:10.1542/peds.2021-052578
2. Zhang W, Xu X, Leng H, et al. An exploration of clinical features and factors associated with growing pains. Pain Reports. 2024;9(4):e1164. doi:10.1097/PR9.0000000000001164
3. Pavone V, Vescio A, Valenti F, Sapienza M, Sessa G, Testa G. Growing pains: what do we know about etiology? A systematic review. World Journal of Orthopedics. 2019;10(4):192-205. doi:10.5312/wjo.v10.i4.192