It is not surprising that growing children can suffer from growing pains. But if these pain complaints become worse and they are therefore hindered in their actions, it can be very annoying for those children. Such pain often occurs in the heel or knees, for example. If this is the case, without an accident, it is said to be a non-traumatic condition. Sever’s disease is one such condition. This condition causes heel pain. This mainly occurs in children who play a lot of sports. In addition to heel pain, knee pain can also be caused by (too much) exercise. Two conditions that relate to this are: Osgood Schlatter knee and Springer’s knee.
Contents
- Non-traumatic pain
- Sever’s disease (apophysitis calcanei)
- What causes it
- Who does it happen to?
- Research
- What can you do about this pain?
- Knee complaints
- Non-traumatic knee pain
- Osgood Schlatter knee
- Who gets it
- When do the complaints arise?
- Diagnosis
- Therapy
- Springer’s knee (apexitis patellae)
- Who causes it?
- When is the pain present?
- Therapy
- Prevent recurrence
Non-traumatic pain
Sometimes a child suffers from pain in, for example, the heel or knees. There has been no accident or other injury, but the child still has pain complaints. If this is the case, it is referred to as non-traumatic pain.
Sever’s disease (apophysitis calcanei)
Children who are growing and who also play a lot of sports can suffer from this. They then complain of pain in the heel bone. In addition to pain, pressure pain may also be present. Sometimes a small swelling is possible at the attachment of the Achilles tendon to the heel bone. This pain is often felt most immediately after exercise, but pain during exercise or just walking is also possible. A child usually walks on tiptoes to feel less pain. The pain decreases again with rest.
What causes it
In growing children, there is a growth plate in the bone. This growth plate is much softer than the bone itself. As a result, irregularities in this growth plate can cause pain due to strain, or overload. As a child gets older, the growth plate is as hard as the bone itself. The heel bone is not fully developed until around the age of 14.
Who does it happen to?
This condition usually occurs in children between the ages of 7 and 15. And more often in boys than in girls. It usually occurs during a lot of sports, but that is not always the case. Excess weight can also play a role. There is one consolation for those children who suffer from this, as soon as they have grown, the complaints will disappear on their own.
Research
The GP or orthopedist can often make the diagnosis based on pain complaints, the location of the pain and the age of the children. Sometimes it may be decided to take x-rays, but often this is not necessary.
What can you do about this pain?
A child who has this pain and who also plays active sports (playing football or running) would naturally prefer the pain to go away quickly. One piece of advice may be to keep calm. But this is difficult for a child who likes sports. Then it is useful to temporarily exercise less actively or to adjust your exercise slightly. This places less strain on the heel. A silicone arch support with a springy effect can help to reduce complaints. Sometimes an elevation of the heel can also provide a solution. In addition, stretching exercises or an ice pack can provide relief. Children whose pain is very persistent and persistent, making it impossible for them to walk normally, are given a walking cast on the lower leg.
Knee complaints
Another complaint that can occur in growing children is knee pain. A child often indicates that he or she has knee pain. These growing pains often occur in both knees. Pain in the knee can actually be made worse by cycling. It is then very important that a child can fully stretch his or her leg when the pedal is all the way down. This can be achieved by setting the saddle to the correct height. It is also wise not to immediately cycle off in a heavy gear.
Non-traumatic knee pain
There are a number of different types of non-traumatic knee pain. Examples of this are the Osgood Schlatter knee and the Springer’s knee .
Osgood Schlatter knee
This condition was already diagnosed in 1903. Both the American surgeon Robert Osgood and the Swiss surgeon Carl Schlatter independently researched this disease/condition. Hence the name Osgood Schlatter. With this condition, pain occurs between the attachment of the patellar tendon to the shin bone. This pain is the result of irritations and inflammation. A visible bump/bump develops on the shin bone, just below the knee. This bump/bump is warm and sensitive.
Who gets it
In principle, this occurs more often in boys and between the ages of 10 and 16 years. But it is also seen in girls. For them it reveals itself earlier, namely around the age of eight. Those who get it go through a growth spurt and also do a lot of sports.
When do the complaints arise?
Initially there are vague knee complaints, but the pain complaints later become more apparent during activities that require great effort on the patellar tendon attachment. These activities include sports that involve a lot of jumping, kneeling or running. However, the pain is usually only felt after exercise, but it is also possible that it can already be felt during exercise.
Diagnosis
To determine whether Osgood Schlatter is present, a physical examination is carried out and a conversation with the patient is carried out to clarify questions by asking questions. An X-ray may be an option to find out whether loose bone particles are present. Ultrasound or MRI are of no use.
Therapy
The complaints often disappear on their own within a few weeks to a few months. Although the bump always remains. This can always be somewhat painful, especially if you are on your knees. Around the age of 17, the pain complaints will have completely disappeared, because the growth plates are completely closed. But what can you do about the pain in the meantime? Surgery is rarely performed.
- The most obvious treatment is rest and/or load adjustment.
- If there are severe pain complaints, it may be decided to place a special plaster sleeve.
- Painkillers and an ice pack can be used to combat the pain and/or swelling.
- The complaints can also be reduced through physiotherapy. During physiotherapy, special stretching exercises are prescribed and a massage can also significantly reduce pain. It doesn’t hurt to put together a special sports program together with the physiotherapist. It is of course best to avoid sports for a number of months, but sometimes someone may still want to continue exercising.
Springer’s knee (apexitis patellae)
Jumper’s knee is caused by an irritated patellar tendon. This tendon runs from the bottom of the kneecap to the lower leg. This irritation is caused by overload due to a lot of jumping. Hence the name jumper’s knee. In the sports world this is called a Jumper’s knee . In addition to irritation, there may also be small tears in the tendon. This condition usually goes away on its own, although the symptoms can remain dormant for months.
Who causes it?
As the name suggests, it is caused by jumping. People who develop this knee complaint often play sports such as volleyball, basketball and tennis. It can also be caused by position abnormalities. For example, someone with bow-legged or knock-kneed legs or an arched foot can develop jumper’s knee.
When is the pain present?
There can be two types of pain, a stabbing pain and a nagging pain. The stabbing pain is often felt just below the kneecap and during exercise. The nagging pain is felt after exercise. The pain can also be felt when someone presses on the patellar tendon or when someone holds the lower leg and the leg is straightened.
Therapy
For this condition, you can also use painkillers and/or an ice pack to combat the pain and swelling. Try to jump as little as possible. In case of severe pain, this may mean temporarily not practicing the sport that is causing the pain. In the worst case, you may need to look for a sport that requires less or no jumping. Ensure you have a good warm-up, during which the muscles are thoroughly warmed. A physiotherapist can help to clearly indicate which exercises are suitable and how you can best do those exercises.
Prevent recurrence
As soon as the pain from jumper’s knee is gone, you want to get back to work. But there is a chance that the pain will return. Prevention is better than cure, so what is the best thing to do?
- make sure you have a good warm-up.
- try to continue doing exercises that stretch and strengthen your muscles
- increase workouts gradually
- make sure you have good shoes especially for the sport you practice
- If necessary, use a special sole in the shoes that correct the position of the feet (in case of minor deviations)
- ensure good condition and quick recovery
- cycle a lot, but not with high resistance or on uneven terrain
- wear a patellar tendon strap
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