Patient's question:
My son is 7 years old this year. He often feels knee pain and pain on the front of his calf, but there is no redness, swelling, itching, or lump. It gets better after a while, but it starts to hurt again after a few days. We took him to the hospital for a check-up, and they said it was growing pains in adolescents, which is normal. However, since he keeps experiencing pain, we feel very heartbroken.Doctor's answer:
Hello, since children are in a period of rapid growth and development, the growth of their lower limb bones is quick, while the surrounding nerves, muscles, tendons, joint capsules, etc., grow at a relatively slower pace. This can cause the bones to pull on the surrounding tissues, leading to stretching pain. Additionally, children are active and energetic, engaging in a high amount of physical activity, which produces a large number of acidic metabolic byproducts like lactic acid that accumulate in the tissues, resulting in muscle soreness. Children's growing pains can be relieved by taking vitamin C, and some low-zinc young children may benefit from appropriate zinc supplementation, both of which can alleviate symptoms.