Knee pain in children and teenagers

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Knee discomfort in children and teens can have different causes. The child feels that it hurts or near the knee. The knee can also get stuck in a certain position, become swollen or sore. The symptoms often come in connection with physical activity. Most knee problems go away on their own over time.

When and where should I seek care?

Contact a health care center if a child has one or more of the following problems:

  • It hurts your knee and it does not get better from rest.
  • The knee joint is swollen.
  • The child has a swelling on the back of the knee that does not disappear in two to three weeks.

Wait until it becomes every day if it’s a weekend. You can contact many receptions by logging in.

If it’s in a hurry

Contact a health care center or an emergency open reception of the child’s knee stuck in a certain position so that it is not possible to stretch or bend the knee.

If it is closed at the health center or on-call reception, seek care at an emergency room

Anterior knee pain, chromium Malachi

Pain in the front of the knee may be due to irregularities in the cartilage on the back of the knee bowl. It may also be because the cartilage is extra sensitive to stress. The trouble usually disappears by itself over the years and does not lead to joint wear.

Symptoms of anterior knee pain

It is common for the knee to feel swollen. It can also get stuck in a certain position for a short while. It hurts to sit for a long time with bent knees, for example when you drive or are at the cinema. It hurts walking downstairs, cycling or doing other activities with a lot of kneeling.

Investigations and treatment of anterior knee pain

The doctor examines the knee joint. Sometimes they need to x-ray their knee joints to rule out other causes of the trouble.

The treatment of knee pain in children and teens involves, among other things, avoiding the activities and movements that cause the symptoms. It is good to avoid sitting for a long time with bent legs. Prescription painkillers can help if it hurts a lot.

Some think it feels good to have a support band around the knee

It is good to do exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint.

When the child has stopped growing, the problems usually go away, but they can still be triggered by physical activity. There is no increased risk of other knee problems in the future.

Schlatter’s disease

A child can get  Schlatter’s disease if they grow quickly and at the same time strain their knees. Schlatter’s disease is most common among athletic children between the ages of eight and fifteen.

Schlatter’s disease is due to the fact that the tendon of the thigh muscle has become inflamed due to overload. The late attachment swells up and hurts.

Symptoms of Schlatter’s disease

It swells up below the knee, in the tendon attachment. It hurts physical activity, especially if the activity contains hope. The pain can also come from running or everyday activities such as walking downstairs. Some may have both legs at the same time.

Investigations and treatment of Schlatter’s disease

The doctor makes the diagnosis by examining the knee. The knee usually does not need to be x-rayed.

Most people who get Schlatter’s disease do not need treatment.

Baker Cyst

A Baker cyst is a swelling in the knee. It is formed when the mucus that sits on the back of the knee contains more fluid than usual.

Baker cyst is most common before the child reaches the age of seven. It decreases or disappears by itself as the child grows older. It is unclear why the cysts are formed. Most often, the cyst causes no or slight discomfort.

Symptoms of baker cyst

The kneecap becomes swollen if the child gets a Baker cyst. The swelling can be anything from small as a hazelnut to large as a tennis ball. It doesn’t always hurt, but if Bakercystan is big, it can feel tense and harder to bend the knee joint.

Prescription-free painkillers can help if the child is in great pain.

Investigations and treatment of baker cyst

Usually, it is enough for a doctor to see and feel the leg. Sometimes the child may need to do an ultrasound examination.

Children with Bakercysta usually do not need any treatment as the swelling decreases or disappears by itself within one to four years.

Sinding-Larsen disease, high jump knee

Small tendons in the tendon under the kneecap can cause prolonged pain problems. The bursts cause the child to get hurt when running, jumping, walking on stairs and bicycles. The inconvenience is more common in those who jump in the high jump and is therefore sometimes called high jump knee. But the problems can also occur in children, such as playing football or running.

Symptoms of high jump knee

The child aches below the kneecap. It can be a little swollen where it hurts.

Treatment of high jump knee

The trouble usually goes away by itself, usually within a year. It is good to rest from activities that cause it to hurt. Physical therapy can relieve the hassle.

Osteochondritis

Children between the ages of 12 and 19 can have a disease called osteochondritis. Osteochondritis means that a small piece of cartilage and bones come loose in one joint. The problem is most common in puberty. The cause of osteochondritis is not known. Small injuries to the joint due to high loads can be a cause.

It is most common to get osteochondritis in the knee joint. But the child can also get the disease in other joints of the body, such as the elbow, ankle or hip.

Symptoms of osteochondritis

When a child gets osteochondritis it hurts the knee joint. The knee joint can become swollen and the knee can get stuck in a certain position for a short while. Sometimes the child has no symptoms at all.

Treatment of osteochondritis

The bone and cartilage usually heal by themselves if the child gets the disease before the age of 15. In the meantime, they should avoid training that is very stressful for the knees, such as soccer training, jumping and running.

Exercises that strengthen the muscles around the knee can reduce the hassle, but it may not accelerate healing.

The risk of complications increases if the child gets the disease after the age of 15. A loose bone or cartilage can be formed inside the joint. It can get trapped so that the knee gets stuck in a certain position for a short while. This can be prevented with an operation where the doctor can remove the loose bone or attach it with pins.

Knee bowl out of joint

The kneecap can be moved out of its proper position and end up at the outside of the knee joint if a child strikes the kneecap severely, or the knee swivels rapidly. When the knee goes out of the joint , it will damage the joint. It may make it easier for the kneecap to be turned out of joint again at a later time.

Symptoms of knee bowl out of joint

When the kneecap goes out of joint it hurts a lot and you feel that the kneecap slides out of position. It looks like the whole knee has jumped out of joint, but it hasn’t. Usually, the kneecap goes back to the correct position, either directly or if the child is stretching on the leg. Afterward, the knee swells and the child may have difficulty supporting the leg for any week.

Treatment of knee bowl out of joint

The child will usually have a rail to support the knee for a few weeks if the kneecap has gone out of the joint. They may strain the leg, but crutches are often needed for the first time. A physiotherapist shows how the child should touch the leg and can also help with mobility exercises and strength exercises.

By improving the mobility of the knee joint and by strengthening the muscles around the knee joint, the risk of the knee bowl jumping out of joint will be reduced.

At about half, the kneecap is turned out of joint again. This can happen after ever minor twists and turns of oneself, for example when the child is running or is out walking. They can then use a bandage that stabilizes. There are some sports shops to buy-in.

Operation

It is common for the child to be operated on if the kneecap has gone out of joint several times or if the doctor believes that the risk is great for it to go out again.

In children who have not grown up, the kneecap is usually stabilized with an operation where the joint can be strengthened. It usually gives a good result, but there is a certain risk that the kneecap is pulled out of joint again, especially on children who have soft ligaments.

In children who have grown up, another operation is done. Then the kneecap scene is moved so that the kneecap is pulled in a different direction and prevents it from being twisted out of joint.

Both operations usually require a time of plaster treatment, six weeks after the joint capsule reinforcement and two to six weeks after the late attachment movement. After the procedure, it is possible to load the leg as usual, but for safety, it is good to use crutches for four to six weeks.

You should understand the information

In order for you to be involved in your care and treatment, it is important that you understand the information you receive from the healthcare staff. Children should also be involved in their care. The older the child, the more important it is.

Ask questions if you don’t understand. For example, you should get information about treatment options and how long you may have to wait for care and treatment.

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