Limp and Pain in the Legs

Common Causes

Tight shoes, a nail or a stone in the shoe, painful glands in groins, injury to the foot, or lower limb with a cut, splinter, sprain or a fracture, growing pains and a fly like illness with pain in limbs.

Uncommon causes

Polio in the early years, rheumatic fever, scurvy (due to vitamin C deficiency), hip dislocation, slipped femoral epiphysis, transient synovitis of the hip, Parthes, disease, infection of joint with viral and bacterial infection and cerebral palsy.

Growing Pains (Leg Aches)

This is quite common. One out of 4 normal children complain of pain in the legs that lasts for months or years. The child feels better if the legs are pressed.

The pain is more marked at night while the child is lying in the bed. He runs about normally during the day. It does not interfere with his normal activities. He has no limp. There is no localized swelling, warmth, or tenderness. The pain is rather defused. The movements at the joins are normal.

We do not know the exact cause of this symptoms. It may be a subconscious way  for the child to demand more attention and more body contact from the parents. The pain usually disappears by the time the child leaves school.

Transient synovitis of the hip

This is proceeded by a  minor viral cold or a minor injury. After a few days of rest, the limp disappears. It is usually seen between 2 and 7 years of age.

Parthes' Disease

An X- ray of the hip joint points to the diagnosis.

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