Why does growing hurt

Skip to main content. Children Home Children Growing pains. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of growing pains Causes of growing pains Diagnosis of growing pains Treatment for growing pains Where to get help Things to remember.

Growing pains are real but essentially harmless muscular pain that can affect children between the ages of three and five years, and from eight to 11 years.

Boys and girls are equally affected. Some young people may continue to experience growing pains into their early adolescence or teenage years. Pain may be experienced in the legs — often the calf, front of thigh or behind the knees — and is often worse in the afternoon or evening. Sometimes, the pain can wake a child from their sleep. The cause is not known. Even though the child can be in a lot of pain, no damage is happening to the child's bones or muscles, and growing pains can respond to simple treatments.

Symptoms of growing pains The symptoms of growing pains include: Muscular aches and pains are felt in both legs — typically in the calf, behind the knee and in the front of the thigh. Restless legs syndrome gives you an uncontrollable urge to move your legs because of uncomfortable sensations in them. Moving your legs will temporarily relieve your symptoms. If you think you might have restless legs syndrome, talk to a doctor. This syndrome can interfere with sleep , which can negatively affect your quality of life.

Joint hypermobility occurs when you have an unusually large range of movement in your joints. You might know it as being double-jointed. However, some people may experience:. Having these symptoms in addition to joint hypermobility is called joint hypermobility syndrome. If you have these symptoms, see a doctor. You may have issues with your connective tissue.

Lyme disease is an illness caused by tick-borne bacteria. Symptoms of Lyme disease include:. Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics. However, if left untreated, it can spread to your joints, heart, and nervous system.

Cramps are involuntary muscle contractions. They may make your muscles feel tight or knotted. Leg cramps often occur in the calves and at night.

They come on suddenly and are most common in middle-aged or older adults. Occasional leg cramps are common and usually harmless. However, if your cramps are frequent and severe, see a doctor. Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in the major veins of your body, most commonly in the legs.

The pain can occur at night, making it difficult for a person to sleep. Although there is no cure for RA, medical treatments can help to control the condition. According to the Arthritis Foundation AF , the goal of such treatment is to:. In addition to medical treatment, the AF recommends the following self-care measures for people living with RA:. A person may experience muscle soreness several hours or days after a workout.

The medical term for this is delayed onset muscle soreness DOMS. Instead, a person can try different methods to reduce discomfort while they heal. These methods include:.

Restless leg syndrome RLS is a nervous system disorder that triggers uncomfortable sensations in the legs. A person who has RLS will experience an uncontrollable urge to move the legs. According to the RLSF , there is no cure for the condition. Instead, treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms. Some treatment options may include:. As people age, they are more likely to experience leg cramps in the evening.

The best treatment for leg cramps is prevention. Some ways to help prevent cramps from occurring include:. A person should see a doctor if they suspect that their leg cramps may be due to a medication. The doctor may recommend adjusting the dosage or switching to a different medicine. A person should not stop taking a medication unless their doctor tells them to.

Running, climbing or jumping during the day might increase the risk of leg pain at night. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Growing pains are often described as an ache or throb in the legs — often in the front of the thighs, the calves or behind the knees. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Ringold S. Growing pains. Accessed Sept. Berkowitz CD.