Kids Leg Pain

Home


Kids Leg Pain: Causes, Warning Signs and Physio Care




John Miller Physiotherapist Erin Runge Physiotherapist
Article by John Miller & Erin Runge



Physiotherapist assessing a child’s squat and lower-limb control
Assessing lower-limb movement during growth and sport.

Leg pain in children can come from sport load, growth-related areas, a recent injury or pain referred from another joint. Many cases settle with suitable activity changes and rehabilitation. However, limping, fever, swelling or an inability to walk need faster assessment.

Common areas

Hip, thigh, knee, shin, calf, ankle and heel.

Common triggers

Running, jumping, kicking, collisions and sudden training increases.

Check sooner

Limping, swelling, night pain, reduced hip movement or worsening symptoms.

Important clue

Some hip conditions can feel like thigh or knee pain.

Growing pains

Usually affect both legs, come and go, and do not cause swelling or limping.

Next step

Choose medical or physiotherapy assessment based on the warning signs below.





Choose your clinic or appointment pathway

Appointment Options View Phone Numbers

Physiotherapy · Remedial Massage · Exercise Physiology · Private health funds and HICAPS




When Does a Child’s Leg Pain Need Urgent Care?

Most exercise-related leg pain does not require emergency care. However, some signs may indicate a fracture, infection or another problem that needs prompt medical assessment.

A physiotherapist can assess many sport and movement-related problems. Medical review should come first when your child appears unwell, cannot bear weight or has signs of a significant injury or joint infection.

What Is Kids Leg Pain?

Kids leg pain describes pain anywhere from the hip to the foot. The pain may come from a muscle, tendon, joint, bone, growth-related attachment point or recent injury.

Children are still developing. Growth areas and tendon attachment points may respond differently to repeated running and jumping than mature adult tissues. Training increases, reduced recovery, changes in footwear and growth-related changes may all affect how much load a child tolerates.

For a broader guide to activity-related injuries, visit our kids sports injuries hub. Our general leg pain guide explains other muscle, joint and referred-pain pathways.

Physiotherapist checking a child’s heel and calf control during a calf raise
Checking heel, ankle and calf load tolerance.

What Commonly Causes Leg Pain in Children?

The location and behaviour of the pain provide useful clues. However, several conditions can cause similar symptoms. An assessment may be needed when the pattern remains unclear.

Common pain patterns

Pain below the kneecap

Osgood-Schlatter disease can cause pain and tenderness at the bony area below the kneecap. Running, kicking, squatting and jumping may aggravate it.

Pain at the lower kneecap

Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome usually causes pain where the patellar tendon meets the lower edge of the kneecap.

Heel pain during sport

Sever’s disease can cause heel pain during or after running and jumping, particularly during periods of growth and increased activity.

Muscle or tendon pain

Calf, thigh and hamstring pain may follow sprinting, kicking, rapid direction changes or a sudden increase in training.

Pain after a sudden force

An avulsion or growth-plate injury may occur during a forceful sprint, kick, jump, fall or collision. These injuries need an accurate diagnosis.

Can Hip Problems Cause Knee or Thigh Pain?

Yes. Children do not always feel pain at its true source. A hip problem may present as pain in the groin, thigh or knee.

Perthes disease and slipped capital femoral epiphysis, often shortened to SCFE, may cause limping, reduced hip movement or referred knee pain. A child with these signs needs prompt assessment.

Are Growing Pains the Same as Other Leg Pain?

No. Growing pains describe a particular pattern rather than every ache experienced during childhood.

Typical growing pains often:

  • affect both legs rather than one exact spot
  • occur in the thighs, calves or behind the knees
  • appear later in the day or overnight
  • settle by the next morning
  • do not cause swelling, redness or a persistent limp

Pain that remains in one location, repeatedly affects sport or changes walking does not fit the usual growing-pains pattern and deserves assessment.

What Can Parents Do at Home?

Choose simple measures that do not hide important warning signs. Avoid forcing a child through pain or using stretches that clearly increase symptoms.

  1. Reduce the aggravating activity

    Temporarily reduce running, jumping or training that clearly increases pain. Your child may still tolerate other comfortable daily activities.

  2. Watch walking and daily function

    Check whether your child can walk normally, manage stairs and move the hip, knee and ankle without marked restriction.

  3. Record the pain pattern

    Note the exact location, recent training changes, injuries, night symptoms and how long the pain lasts after activity.

  4. Arrange an assessment when needed

    Book a review when pain keeps returning, affects normal movement or does not improve after a reasonable reduction in aggravating activity.

How Does a Physiotherapist Assess Kids Leg Pain?

A physiotherapist begins by asking about the pain, recent injuries, sport schedule, growth, training changes and general health. The physical assessment then focuses on the painful area and other regions that may contribute.

The assessment may include:

  • walking and running
  • hip, knee and ankle movement
  • squatting, hopping or stepping
  • muscle and tendon tenderness
  • strength and balance
  • sport-specific movements
  • screening for signs that need medical review or imaging

The aim is to identify likely contributors, determine whether physiotherapy is appropriate and develop a plan matched to the child’s age and activities. A physiotherapist cannot confirm every medical or bone condition from a movement assessment alone.

How May Physiotherapy Help?

Management depends on the likely cause, symptom severity and the activities your child wants to return to. Treatment should not follow one standard exercise program for every child.

A physiotherapy plan may include:

  • temporary changes to training volume or intensity
  • advice about suitable activity and recovery
  • age-appropriate mobility exercises where needed
  • progressive strength and lower-limb control exercises
  • guidance for running, jumping and landing
  • a graded return to training and competition
  • communication with a doctor, coach or parent where appropriate

Complete rest is not always required. However, continuing every activity unchanged can prolong symptoms when the affected area is not tolerating the current load.

Child completing a supervised step-down exercise for lower-limb control
Building controlled lower-limb strength for a graded return to activity.

When Can a Child Return to Sport?

Return-to-sport timing varies with the condition. A child should not return based only on a set number of days.

Useful progression signs may include:

  • walking without a limp
  • comfortable daily activities
  • improving strength and movement control
  • tolerating planned running and jumping steps
  • no major increase in pain later that day or the next morning

Some growth-related conditions can remain sensitive for an extended period. The aim is usually to manage activity safely rather than expect every symptom to disappear immediately.

What to Do Next

Arrange an assessment when your child’s leg pain keeps returning, limits sport or changes how they walk. A physiotherapist can assess likely movement and load-related contributors and advise whether medical review may also be appropriate.

Seek medical care first when your child cannot bear weight, has significant pain after trauma, appears unwell or develops a hot and swollen joint.





Choose your clinic and appointment pathway

Select a PhysioWorks clinic to continue to live booking, an appointment request or reception assistance.

Not sure what to choose? Compare appointment types
View all clinic locations and phone numbers



Muscle & Soft Tissue Products

These muscle and soft tissue products are commonly used by our physiotherapists to relax or loosen muscles, improve strength, comfort, flexibility, and home exercise programs.

View all muscle & soft tissue products




Follow PhysioWorks

Get physiotherapy tips, exercise videos, recovery advice and blog updates.




Kids Sports Injuries

Explore common youth sport injuries, training concerns and safe return-to-activity information.

Sever’s Disease

Review common features and management options for growth-related heel pain.

Growing Pains

Compare the usual growing-pains pattern with signs that need further assessment.

Perthes Disease

Understand why some childhood hip conditions can cause thigh or knee pain.

Kids Back Pain

Read about back, posture and referred-pain concerns in children and adolescents.

Common Questions About Kids Leg Pain

When should I worry about my child’s leg pain?

Seek urgent medical care when your child cannot stand or walk on the leg, has severe pain after an injury, appears unwell with fever or has a hot and swollen joint. Arrange a prompt assessment for an ongoing limp, worsening night pain, unexplained swelling or reduced hip movement.

How do I know if it is just growing pains?

Growing pains often affect both legs, occur later in the day or overnight and settle by morning. They should not cause swelling, redness, one persistent tender spot or an ongoing limp.

What can I do tonight for my child’s leg pain?

Reduce the activity that clearly aggravates the pain and allow comfortable movement. Avoid forcing stretches or sport. Seek urgent medical care if your child cannot bear weight, appears unwell or has significant swelling after an injury.

Should my child stop sport completely?

Not always. Some children can continue modified activity that does not significantly increase pain or alter movement. Others need a short break from running, jumping or contact sport. The appropriate plan depends on the likely cause and severity.

Does my child need an X-ray or scan?

Many activity-related problems do not require imaging. A doctor may recommend an X-ray or another scan after significant trauma, inability to bear weight, persistent focal pain, swelling, night pain or an unclear examination.

Can hip problems cause knee pain in children?

Yes. Some childhood hip conditions can present as thigh or knee pain. A limp, reduced hip movement or groin pain should prompt an assessment of the hip as well as the painful area.

References

  1. Neuhaus C, Appenzeller-Herzog C, Faude O. A systematic review on conservative treatment options for Osgood-Schlatter disease. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 2021;61(9):1191–1199. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12272-X.
  2. O’Keeffe M, Martiniuk A, O’Sullivan K, et al. Defining growing pains: a scoping review. Pediatrics. 2022;150(2):e2021052578. doi:10.1542/peds.2021-052578.
  3. Nieto-Gil P, Marco-Lledó J, García-Campos J, et al. Risk factors and associated factors for calcaneal apophysitis: a systematic review. BMJ Open. 2023;13(6):e064903. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064903.
  4. Nweke TC, Cruz IA, Contreras CE, et al. Conservative management of Sever’s disease: a comprehensive review of treatment efficacy. Cureus. 2025;17:e88779. doi:10.7759/cureus.88779.


You've just added this product to the cart: