Knee pain in children start for many reasons and it could develop in every child in their growth time. The condition appears for several reasons including disease and non disease causes. The joint itself consist of at leas three elements, cartilage, bones and ligaments. If a problem affect to one or more of the three knee elements, then knee pain start to appear.
Most of knee pain in children is caused by side effect of growing time and not a reason of critical concern. A doctor will be needed if the pain persists for more than a week or severe pain that cause a child lost his/her movement or if it accompanied by swollen at knee area. A mild to moderate knee pain require just need rest plus pain management treatment, meanwhile others need serious medication including surgical treatment.
The causes of knee pain in children
Base on the causes, this type of knee pain can be classified into several groups. Some of them are caused by disease or disorder such as Osgood-Schlatter disease, osteochondritis dissecans, ligamentous laxity and parapatellar knee pain syndrome while others caused by injuries such as collateral ligament injuries, anterior cruciate ligament, dislocated and fractures in bones.
1. Osgood-Schlatter disease identified by an appearance of tender bump locates below the knee. Most of the condition affects to active adolescents such ad young athletes. The condition becomes worst with certain activities.
2. Ligamentous laxity makes the knee joint to move beyond normal range motion and it can cause dislocated. This condition affects 15 percent of children and becomes worsen with high impact activities.
3. Osteochondritis dissecans triggers severe knee pain and swelling. This pain causes by a bone fragment that forms within the knee. Since this situation is caused by internal problem, most of the condition treated by surgical process.
4. Patellar dislocation is caused when the kneecap become slip out of location or dislocated. This patellar dislocation is more common in girls and treated with extensive strengthening exercise.
5. Collateral ligament injuries cause by extreme shock on knee area and lead to bruising, pain and swelling. This type of knee pain is common in football and soccer players when they had full body contact that engaging knee area.
6. Dislocated and bone fractures. Just like other bone fracture, it caused by extreme direct impact around the knee while knee pain in children caused by dislocated occur when ligaments damage. This can cause by strong direct impact or twisted lead to ligaments torn.