What to do if a child complains of pain in the hip joint

Short-term pain in an arm or leg in a child is usually associated with a minor injury, muscle strain, fall, or age-inappropriate physical activity. If a child who plays sports often complains of pain in his arm or leg, his level of physical activity should be analyzed. In this case, there is usually no need to see a doctor: it is enough to apply cold compresses on the first day and give paracetamol or ibuprofen. Children 5-10 years old sometimes have so-called “growing pains.” They bother you mainly at night and, as a rule, go away without treatment. On the other hand, pain resulting from a serious injury, such as a fracture, requires immediate medical attention. If there are no signs of injury, and the pain continues for more than a day or increases, you should call a pediatrician .

THE DOCTOR'S CONSULTATION

Contact your pediatrician if the pain is severe and accompanied by:

• Lameness
• Swelling at the site of the injury that does not go away within a week
• Difficulty in limb mobility
• Swelling or pain that gets worse as the day goes on

ATTENTION!

Immediately notice any pain in your limbs or muscles. The pediatrician will determine the cause, and treatment may be required. Stress can also cause nonspecific symptoms, such as pain.

FOR INFORMATION

How to Avoid Overuse Injuries:

A load that is not appropriate for the age and physical condition of the child can lead to injuries caused by excessive load: sprain, fracture, tendon inflammation. Pain in the limbs is often associated with this type of injury to bones, soft tissues and growth cartilage. Children are especially vulnerable to such injuries because their bones grow faster than their muscles, which leads to uneven stress on the musculoskeletal system.

Without proper treatment, these injuries can lead to permanent impairment. To avoid them, the child must adhere to the following rules:

• Start any workout with a warm-up: walking, jogging, light stretching
• Increase frequency, duration and intensity of exercises gradually
• Don’t overexert yourself, follow the trainer’s instructions
• Parents should check their foot size every 3 months and buy appropriate shoes

Content

• Non-arthritic causes of pain
• Arthritis in children
• Classification of arthritis in children

Joint pain in infants is much less common than in older children. This is due to the fact that pathologies that cause diseases and chronic inflammation of the joints and muscles in the legs and arms often occur as the bone apparatus grows.

A joint is a movable connection between two bones. Bones are held in place by ligaments (tissue formations) and attached to muscles by tendons. Pain in any of these parts is referred to as joint pathology.

The causes of pain in the joints of the legs in a child can be very diverse:

• sprains, sprains and other injuries. If a child complains of pain after a fall, and the injured limb begins to swell, or redness appears at the site of the injury, then you should immediately contact a pediatric traumatologist. As a rule, such injuries are treated quite easily and, provided that all doctor’s prescriptions are followed, disappear without leaving a trace;
• inflammation of striated muscles (myositis). In addition to sharp pain, it is also accompanied by an increase in body temperature and redness of the skin over the site of inflammation. The main cause of the disease is hypothermia. Myositis can be acute or chronic. If all the doctor’s instructions are followed, this disease can be cured;
• chronic pain can be a symptom of the development of tumor processes in the bones and joints. You should undergo a full examination to exclude this pathology. It is worth noting that with early treatment, the prognosis is favorable;
• arthritis (inflammatory processes) and arthrosis (degenerative processes). The legs and feet are most often affected. If a child has one joint affected, then doctors call the disease monoarthritis; if pain is observed in several joints, then they talk about polyarthritis. According to studies, boys under 8 years of age are more likely to develop arthritis.

How to help at home?

For physiological pain, it is enough to lightly massage your feet in the morning, after waking up, this will help establish good blood supply to the lower extremities. In the evening, after all the active games for your feet, you can prepare a warm bath with a decoction of chamomile or plantain. After this, the feet should again be massaged a little before going to bed. This condition does not require the use of medications, nor does it require special skills in the art of massage.

For pathological pain, the attending physician may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments that can be rubbed into the sore spot, courses of serious therapeutic massage, and physical therapy sessions.

For some orthopedic diseases - wearing orthopedic shoes made to special sizes, taking into account the angles of deviation from the norm. Parents can easily carry out almost all of these procedures for their child at home - both massage and exercise therapy (after preliminary training from a specialist).

For inflammation of the joints, non-steroidal ointments, as well as products with a local anesthetic effect, help well. Sometimes it is allowed to make compresses with them. If there is a lack of calcium and phosphorus, the child is prescribed appropriate medications containing the necessary substances.

Non-arthritic causes of pain

Meniscal pain – usually occurs after an injury and affects one joint. Most often appear in children 10-12 years old. They are disturbing under loads, concentrated in the projection of the joint gap where the meniscus is damaged.

Osteochondral - affect one joint, most often on the leg, occur in children 8-10 years old. The mechanism for the development of such pain may be improper physical activity. However, the exact reason is unknown. The pain occurs with exertion and is limited to one joint.

Pain in the patellas , in addition to osteochondropathy and pathological dislocations, can occur with high position of the patellas, chondromalacia, and mediopatellar fold syndrome.

Stress pain in the feet - their causes can be: a number of bone associations, congenital malformations of the feet, joint stiffness syndrome against the background of systemic skeletal pathologies.

Tendon-muscular and enthesitis - variants of chronic and acute pathology (post-traumatic, transient, etc.). Primary enthesopathy is a symptom of SEA syndrome or juvenile arthritis. Secondary occurs against the background of an underlying orthopedic disease.

Joint syndrome – pain varies in variation and severity, usually affecting the hip, ankle, and knee joints. Less commonly – elbows and shoulders. Such pain is accompanied by inflammation. The pain is limited to one joint and the tendon-muscular element or the area where the tendon attaches to the bone.

Pain due to hypermobility affects preschoolers and primary schoolchildren. They can be symmetrical, have a diffuse nature, and are localized on the anterior surface of the legs. In some cases, the ankle and knee joint are affected. Most often these are night and evening pains, which are preceded by exercise. This pain syndrome is myalgia as a consequence of overstrain of the muscles of the legs with a weak capsular-ligamentous element. Many literature sources call this condition “growing pains . Parents should be wary of their child's night pain, because it may be associated with a tumor, especially against the background of fever and profuse sweating.

At an older age, pain due to hypermobility is not detailed and has a diffuse nature. May affect one joint or several. They occur both during and after load (during the day and evening). Such pain appears due to microtrauma of the structures inside the joint, excessive tension of the patellofemoral joint, and stretching of the ligamentous-capsular element.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of Osgood-Schlatter disease include:

• Pain, swelling, and tenderness in the area of ​​the tibial tuberosity, just below the kneecap
• knee pain that gets worse after physical activity—especially running, jumping, and climbing stairs—and gets better with rest
• tightness of surrounding muscles, especially the thigh muscles (quadriceps)

Pain varies depending on each individual. Some may only have mild pain when doing certain activities, especially running or jumping. For others, the pain can be constant and debilitating. Typically, Osgood-Schlatter disease occurs in only one knee, but sometimes it can occur in both knees. The discomfort may last from several weeks to several months and may recur until the child stops growing.

Arthritis in children

Arthritis is the cause of long-term joint pain in children. The joint capsule is rich in lymphoid cells, which give an immunological response to foreign microorganisms like lymph nodes. Biologically active substances are released from lymphoid cells that affect sensory nerve endings and cause pain. The main symptoms that may indicate this disease are:

1. limited mobility of the affected joints. If the child does not walk yet, he will try not to make sudden movements with his leg or foot. Older children begin to limp (in the absence of previous injuries or falls) and take care of the affected limb;
2. temperature increase. In acute arthritis, the thermometer can show up to 38-39 C, and in chronic arthritis, a prolonged low-grade fever (about 37 C) can be observed;
3. redness of the skin over the affected area;
4. general lethargy;
5. possible formation of edema over the affected joint.

If you have at least one of the above signs, you should immediately contact your pediatrician, who will prescribe the necessary tests and examinations to remove or confirm the diagnosis. If a child has pain in the joints of his legs, his mobility should be limited until the cause is determined and treatment is prescribed.

Injuries

If there is usually no discomfort and the syndrome occurs suddenly, this may indicate the presence of an injury. Children, especially active and enthusiastic ones, may not notice how, in the midst of play, they sprain, twist or bruise their leg, and a little later, when the kids calm down, the pain reveals itself in all its glory. You should carefully examine your leg for swelling, bruises, wounds, if necessary, apply cold to the damaged area and go to the emergency room.

• Why can a small child have pain in his legs at night and when walking? What should I do?

Classification of arthritis in children

• Infectious or reactive. It occurs against the background of previous infections: ARVI, as well as other diseases. With a general weakening of the body, infection of the joint cavity with pathogenic microorganisms occurs. Moreover, such arthritis often develops after the child has fully recovered. Source: E.I. Alekseeva, E.S. Zholobova Reactive arthritis in children // Questions of modern pediatrics, 2003, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 51—56
• Post-vaccination. This type of arthritis may be an individual reaction of the body to the vaccine. It usually occurs in children with weakened immune systems or when vaccination conditions are violated (vaccination is done during the child’s illness or immediately after recovery without observing the recommended time frame for restoring immunity).
• Viral arthritis. Appears after a child has suffered a severe viral infection: influenza, rubella, hepatitis, etc.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. Currently, it is often diagnosed in children even at a very young age. It is one of the most severe joint diseases. It most often affects children aged 1 to 6 years , and lack of proper treatment can lead to disability. At present, the exact causes of rheumatoid arthritis have not been discovered, but doctors name genetic predisposition and severe viral and bacterial diseases suffered by the child, especially streptococcal and staphylococcal diseases, as possible prerequisites. It is a known fact that the disease is autoimmune. The child’s body perceives connective tissue cells as foreign and begins to release large quantities of lymphocytes and antibodies, destroying them. There is a gradual loss of mobility. Parents should be aware that the main sign of rheumatoid arthritis in a child is prolonged joint pain, but other signs may be absent. Therefore, for any pain in the joints that lasts more than one week (even if the child experiences them sporadically), it is necessary to urgently contact a pediatrician, who will conduct an examination and refer him for treatment to a specialized specialist. Source: N.G. Muratova Modern features of rheumatoid arthritis in children // Vyatsky Medical Bulletin, 1998, No. 1, pp. 43 – 45
• Juvenile arthritis. The main cause of juvenile arthritis is a malfunction of hormonal system . The disease often affects children during puberty and the associated hormonal shift. Source: E.I. Alekseeva, T.M. Bazarova Algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of juvenile arthritis // Issues of modern pediatrics, 2010, vol. 9, no. 6, p. 78-104

It is also necessary to add that, whatever the cause of arthritis in a child, the course of this disease is aggravated by increased stress on the joint, including during sports. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of an inflammatory disease of the joint capsule and if a child experiences prolonged pain in the joints, it is necessary to immediately provide a gentle regime of physical activity. After diagnosis and prescription of medications and physical procedures, the doctor will give recommendations on acceptable physical activity for your child.

Multidisciplinary medical doctors have gained extensive experience in diagnosing and treating joint diseases in children. By contacting us, you will receive high-quality medical services.

Sources:

1. E.I. Alekseeva, E.S. Zholobova. Reactive arthritis in children // Issues of modern pediatrics, 2003, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 51—56
2. N.G. Muratova. Modern features of rheumatoid arthritis in children // Vyatsky Medical Bulletin, 1998, No. 1, pp. 43 – 45
3. 3. E.I. Alekseeva, T.M. Bazarova. Algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of juvenile arthritis // Issues of modern pediatrics, 2010, vol. 9, no. 6, p. 78-104

The information in this article is provided for reference purposes and does not replace advice from a qualified professional. Don't self-medicate! At the first signs of illness, you should consult a doctor.

In what cases is it better to seek medical help immediately?

Complaints of pain in the morning or throughout the day are a good reason to consult a pediatrician or general practitioner. Perhaps a small patient will be advised to donate blood to check the calcium level in the body. Bone growth and density depend on this chemical element. Doctors may also advise checking the concentration of vitamin D. It is responsible for the regulation of calcium metabolism and is presented in two main forms: cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) and ergocalciferol (vitamin D2). The body produces the first itself, and receives the second from food. A lack of vitamin D in fast-growing young children leads to rickets, a disease of the bone and nervous systems caused by metabolic disorders.

Prices

Treatment

Osgood-Schlatter disease usually resolves on its own, and symptoms disappear after bone growth has completed. If the symptoms are severe, then treatment includes medication, physiotherapy, and exercise therapy.

Drug treatment involves prescribing pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.) or ibuprofen. Physiotherapy can reduce inflammation and relieve swelling and pain.

Exercise therapy is necessary to select exercises that stretch the quadriceps muscle and hamstrings, which reduces the load on the area where the patellar tendon attaches to the tibia. Hip strengthening exercises also help stabilize the knee joint.

Diagnostic methods

The diagnosis is made by an orthopedist after a comprehensive examination of the child. To identify the cause of the disease and the stage of its development, the following diagnostic methods are used:

• blood and urine tests to determine the type of pathogen and the presence of inflammation;

study of periarticular fluid;

• Ultrasound to detect injuries and degenerative changes;
• rheumatic tests;
• fluorography of the lungs;
• Mantoux test;
• X-ray;
• smears from the conjunctiva of the eye;

READ ALSO: if the injection site of the Mantoux test is enlarged, what does this mean?

• CT and MRI help diagnose inflammation, circulatory disorders, and the condition of muscles and blood vessels.

What to do for pain in ankle ligaments?

In case of injury, the following measures must be taken:

• place the limb on a horizontal surface so that it is at rest;
• apply a tight elastic bandage;
• apply something cold to relieve swelling;
• drink an anesthetic.

If pain occurs, do not endure it, contact us immediately. Only a professional specialist is able to correctly diagnose and select an effective set of exercises.

Preventive measures

There are no specific measures to prevent arthritis. General recommendations will help reduce the risk of the disease as much as possible:

• timely treatment of viral infections and inflammatory processes;
• maintaining personal hygiene to avoid infection by pathogenic microorganisms;
• strengthening the immune system;
• avoiding hypothermia of joints;
• proper organization of the baby’s daily routine;
• balanced diet;
• maintaining constant body weight;
• physical activity according to age;
• alternating periods of work and rest;
• wearing properly fitted shoes.

Share with friends! References:

• https://nogostop.ru/taz/u-rebenka-bolit-tazobedrennyj-sustav.html
• https://rosmedplus.ru/bolezni/ortopediya/artrit-tazobedrennogo-sustava-u-detej.html