69) Growing Pains in Kids: How Paediatric Physiotherapy Can Help

Growing pains are common, usually affecting children aged 3-16, causing aching or throbbing in the legs—especially in the thighs, calves or behind the knees—often in the evening or at night. Paediatric physiotherapy offers relief through assessment, stretches, strengthening, and biomechanics education. Read on to discover tips, real clinic outcomes, and what to watch for.

What Are Growing Pains?

“Growing pains” (sometimes called recurrent limb pains of childhood) are benign and relatively frequent in kids. While the name suggests growth is the culprit, there’s no solid evidence that growth itself causes damage. More likely, a combination of muscle fatigue, biomechanical factors, and activity levels contributes. (Health Times+3Sydney Physio Clinic+3Nelson Bay Physiotherapy+3)

Common features:

Usually affects both legs, not just one. – Canberra Children’s Physiotherapy+1
Pain tends to occur in muscles (thighs, calves), not in joints. – Nelson Bay Physiotherapy+2Sydney Physio Clinic+2
Occurring in the late afternoon or evening; often wakes the child at night. – Health Times+2Sydney Physio Clinic+2
No obvious swelling, redness or signs of infection. – Sydney Physio Clinic+1
Typically, children still play, walk and run during the day; pain does not usually limit daytime activity. – Nelson Bay Physiotherapy+1

Why Paediatric Physiotherapy?

Paediatric physiotherapy is a specialised branch focused on children’s developmental, skeletal, and muscular needs. Because kids aren’t just “small adults,” treatments must be tailored to their growth phases, movement patterns, muscle strength, flexibility, coordination, and habits.

Physiotherapists can:

Perform a thorough assessment to rule out other causes (e.g. conditions like Osgood-Schlatter, Sever’s disease, Sinding Larsen Johansson Syndrome, Other Apophysitis’, or joint issues). – Learn more about OSGOOD-SCHLATTERS
Analyse biomechanics: foot posture, alignment (knock knees, flat feet), muscle tightness or weakness.
Design stretching programs to ease muscle tightness, especially before bed.
Introduce strengthening exercises to support joints and reduce strain.
Provide manual therapy (massage, soft tissue work), heat/cold options, and sometimes use modalities depending on what’s safe.
Educate parents & kids on activity modification, rest, good footwear, habits like stretching after activity.

Practical Strategies You Can Try at Home

While physiotherapy is super helpful, there are several things parents can try at home in between sessions:

Warm baths or heat packs in the evening to relax tight muscles.
Gentle massage of sore muscles.
Stretching routines for calves, hamstrings, thighs—especially after active play.
Ensure rest periods after high activity days; avoid over-loading.
Proper footwear that supports arches; avoid too-flat or too-unsupportive shoes.
Maintain a consistent sleep routine; fatigue can worsen perception of pain.
If needed, simple analgesics like paracetamol (always follow dosage guidelines or medical advice).

When to See a Physiotherapist or Other Health Professional

Growing pains are usually harmless, but there are warning signs that mean you shouldn’t just wait it out. Seek professional advice and specifically paediatric physiotherapy if your child:

Has pain in only one leg or joint, or if it’s localised, swollen, warm, red.
Is limping, or pain severely limits walking or running.
Has fever, general illness, weight loss or other systemic symptoms.
Pain persists steadily beyond the age when growing pains normally fade (often mid-adolescence). Australian Sports Physiotherapy+1

A physiotherapist can both screen for serious issues and guide effective management.

Real-Life Example: Improvement in the Clinic

Here’s a case we saw recently at our clinic in Frenchs Forest, NSW:

Patient: “Sam”, age 8, from a surrounding suburb (in Davidson).
Presentation: Complained of aching calves and thighs in both legs, mostly at night, for about 6-8 weeks. Sleep was disturbed. No limping, no swelling or redness. Very active during the day (lots of jumping, sport).
Paediatric Physiotherapy Assessment : Identified tight calf muscles, slight flat feet, some postural imbalances (leaning forward when standing).
Treatment plan:

Twice-weekly sessions for 4 weeks: manual soft tissue massage, focused calf & hamstring stretches, core and hip stabilisation strengthening exercises.
Home program: stretching before bed, with parent-assisted gentle massage, using a warm bath; advice on better footwear.
Education to both Sam and his parents about when pain is typical vs when to rest or modify activity.

Outcome: After 4 weeks, the nighttime pains reduced significantly: Sam slept through the night most days, pain episodes dropped from nightly to occasional. By 8 weeks, Sam reported almost no pain, was back to full participation in sport, and was happier (and parents were more relaxed).

Additional Benefits Beyond Pain Relief

Paediatric physiotherapy doesn’t just help with immediate discomfort. Longer-term gains include:

Better motor skills and coordination.
Improved posture and running/walking mechanics.
Reduced risk of overuse injuries.
More confidence in movement and play.

Myths & Misconceptions

Myth	Reality
Growing pains are caused by growing bones rubbing together.	Bones themselves aren’t “pain sensors” like that. Other structures (muscles, tissues) are more likely involved.
If a child is active, more sport will resolve it naturally.	Activity helps—but too much without recovery, or poor biomechanics, may increase discomfort. A balance is needed.
Pain = damage.	Not in most growing pains. They aren’t signs of harm when diagnosed properly.

How Long Do Growing Pains Last?

It varies. Many children outgrow them by around age 12-14, though some have symptoms earlier and others later. The frequency/intensity tends to reduce over time, especially with appropriate support and management.

Role of Paediatric Physiotherapy in Preventing Recurrence

Because recurrence is typical, prevention is key:

Regular stretching and strength maintenance.
Checking footwear, changing it if it’s worn.
Encouraging balanced play (not just one sport, one kind of movement).
Ensuring rest and recovery; listening to the child’s pain signals.
Periodic assessments, especially during growth spurts.

Beyond the Legs – Why Some Kids Get Pain Elsewhere

While growing pains most often strike the legs, some kids also complain of aches in the arms, back or shoulders after busy days. This doesn’t always mean something is wrong. Children are constantly experimenting with new sports, climbing, running and jumping, which puts extra stress on developing muscles and joints. Paediatric physiotherapy looks at the whole body, not just the sore spot, so underlying imbalances are picked up early and addressed before they cause ongoing pain or poor movement patterns.

The Emotional Side of Growing Pains

Night-time pain can disrupt sleep for both kids and parents, and tired kids may become anxious or less confident in sport. A big part of our role in paediatric physiotherapy is reassurance and education. We explain to children (in age-friendly language) what’s happening in their bodies and give them simple ways to self-manage discomfort. This builds resilience and helps them feel in control rather than fearful of the pain.

Collaboration with Other Health Professionals

Sometimes your physio may liaise with your GP, podiatrist or paediatrician to make sure nothing else is contributing to the pain. For example, custom foot orthotics or a GP check-up may be suggested if biomechanics or vitamin deficiencies are suspected. This team-based approach ensures your child gets the right care at the right time and nothing important is missed, which is one of the strengths of working with a clinic experienced in paediatric physiotherapy.

Setting Kids Up for a Lifetime of Healthy Movement

The habits kids learn now last well into adulthood. Teaching proper stretching, warm-ups, and posture during growth spurts lays the foundation for injury prevention and sporting success later on. Many parents who bring their children to us for growing pains are surprised at how much more confident and coordinated their kids become in sport and everyday play after a few weeks of tailored paediatric physiotherapy.

Summary: What You Can Do Next

Don’t ignore recurring nighttime leg or muscle aches.
Book an assessment with a physiotherapist who has experience in paediatric physiotherapy.
Use home strategies alongside clinic-led treatment.
Watch for red flags and act promptly.

Final Words

If your child is waking up with leg aches, complaining about sore calves or thighs, or just seems uncomfortable at night—all things a lot of parents brush off—don’t wait. Paediatric physiotherapy can make a big difference: relief, rest, and better days ahead. We treat children however we don’t treat all conditions that a child might have. We specialist in musculoskeletal conditions within children. If you aren’t sure if we treat your particular injury or condition, Call our reception team today on 9806 3077

References

Upside Kids Physio: Growing Pains: Explore Origins, Management, and When to Consult a Paediatric Physiotherapy Expert Upside Kids Physio
HealthTimes: Physiotherapy for Managing Growing Pains in Australian Pre-Teens Health Times
Sydney Physio Clinic: Growing Pains in Children Sydney Physio Clinic
Nelson Bay Physiotherapy: Growing Pains in Children Nelson Bay Physiotherapy
Queensland Physiotherapy: Relief For Growing Pains in Children & Teens qldphysio.com.au