Growing Pains or Something More Serious? What’s Normal in Children
- Samantha Pieterse
- 1 day ago
- 10 min read
“My child keeps complaining that their legs hurt at night.”
Leg pain is one of those parenting worries that often starts slowly. A child who was happily running around all afternoon suddenly wakes up crying in the middle of the night, holding their knees or calves. And somewhere in your exhausted haze, you might find yourself wondering: “Could it just be growing pains, or is it something more serious?”
Fortunately, growing pains are usually harmless. But not all leg pain in children is automatically “just growing pains,” and some symptoms do need a closer look. So here’s a guide to help you understand what’s normal and when it may be worth bringing your child in for an assessment.
What Are Growing Pains?
Growing pains are one of the most common causes of leg pain in children. Despite the name, evidence suggests that they are not actually caused by bones growing. In fact, children grow most rapidly during infancy and puberty, not necessarily during the ages when growing pains are most common.
Doctors still do not know the exact cause of growing pains, but they are thought to be linked to muscle fatigue and physical activity. You may have noticed the pain tends to happen after sports, climbing, or running around at school.
One of the biggest clues that this may be growing pains is that the pain comes and goes. A child may complain for a few nights in a row, then seem completely fine for days or even weeks before it happens again. Most children continue growing and developing normally, and the symptoms often gradually settle over time.
What Do Growing Pains Feel Like?
Growing pains usually cause a dull, aching discomfort rather than sharp or severe pain. Some children describe it as sore legs, tired legs, “crampy” legs, or “ouchy knees.”
Younger children often struggle to explain exactly what hurts, which is why you may simply notice your child rubbing their legs, crying at bedtime, or waking overnight, complaining that their legs are sore.
The pain most commonly affects:
The calves
The front of the thighs
Behind the knees
Both legs at the same time
One of the biggest clues that this may be growing pains is timing.
The pain often appears:
In the evening before bed
During the night
After very active days
Unlike injuries or more serious causes of leg pain, children with growing pains are usually completely fine by the next morning. They wake up happy and ready to run around again as though nothing happened. They are generally not limping, refusing to walk, or struggling to play normally during the day.
Growing pains also tend to happen for several nights in a row, then have no symptoms at all for days, weeks, or even months before it happens again.
What Age Do Growing Pains Start?
Growing pains are most common between the ages of about 3 and 12 years, particularly during the early school years.
Children who are very physically active are more prone to growing pains, although quieter children can experience them too. Some research also suggests that children with hypermobility, often called being “double-jointed,” may experience leg aches more often because their muscles work harder to support flexible joints.
While growing pains are common in younger children, it is important not to automatically assume all leg pain is normal, especially in toddlers or very young children who may struggle to explain exactly what hurts. A child who cannot clearly describe pain may instead become clingy, wake frequently at night, limp, refuse to walk, or suddenly avoid normal play.
🩺 Persistent pain, poor sleep, fatigue, reduced activity levels, or ongoing movement concerns are all worth discussing during routine child wellness or vaccination visits.
Why Does My Child Get Leg Pain at Night?
Growing pains in children seem to happen almost exclusively at night. Your child may suddenly start complaining at bedtime or wake up overnight crying with sore legs. This nighttime pattern is actually very typical of growing pains.
Doctors do not fully understand why growing pains happen more at night, but there are a few possible reasons:
Muscles are tired after a long day, especially in children who are constantly moving. Once the body finally slows down at bedtime, those aches may become more noticeable.
Children also tend to focus more on discomfort at night because there are fewer distractions. At night, every little ache suddenly feels much bigger. A bit like adults suddenly noticing a headache the moment they sit down after a chaotic day.
When Should You Worry About Growing Pains?
Most growing pains follow a fairly predictable pattern.
But certain symptoms are less typical of growing pains and deserve more attention. Pain that is persistent, severe, or steadily worsening should not automatically be dismissed as “just growing.” The same applies if the pain starts interfering with sleep, normal activities, sports, or walking. Growing pains also should not cause obvious weakness or a child refusing to bear weight.
It may be worth having your child checked if the pain:
Affects only one leg consistently
Is focused on one specific spot
Happens regularly during the day
Is associated with swelling, redness, or warmth over a joint
Comes with unusual tiredness, weight loss, or loss of appetite
Is associated with joint stiffness, especially in the mornings
Is accompanied by bruising or rash
Thankfully, serious causes of leg pain in children are far less common than normal growing pains. Still, persistent or unusual symptoms should always be assessed properly.
🩷 If your child has symptoms that do not feel typical, you’re always welcome to book a child health assessment at Mums & Bums Centurion for a proper examination.
What Else Can Cause Leg Pain in Children?
There are several other common causes of leg pain in children, many of which are far less scary than you think.
Sports and activity injuries
Active children often develop muscle strain, overuse injuries, or sore joints after physical activity. This can happen after a long sports tournament or even just a particularly energetic school day.
Pain linked to activity often improves with rest and may affect specific muscles or joints.
Hypermobility in children
Some children are naturally very flexible or “double-jointed.” While this can make them excellent climbers and tiny gymnasts who somehow end up upside down on the couch, hypermobility can also lead to muscle fatigue and aching legs.
These children may complain of tired legs more often after active days.
Flat feet and muscle strain
Flat feet can sometimes change the way pressure moves through the legs and may contribute to aching feet, knees, or calves. Children who wear unsupportive shoes for long periods may also complain of sore legs more frequently.
Flat feet are very common in younger children and often improve naturally as muscles and arches develop over time. But if flat feet are causing ongoing pain, frequent tripping, uneven shoe wear, or difficulty with activity, it may be worth discussing with your healthcare provider.
If you are still worried about flat feet and severe pain after the age of 5, Feetahead podiatrist Dimakatso Maleka says, “Some children may benefit from supportive footwear, strengthening exercises, or laser treatment, especially if symptoms are persistent.”
Viral illnesses and body aches
Viral infections can sometimes cause temporary muscle aches and body pains in children, particularly during illnesses like the flu, viral fevers, or common winter viruses. Some children complain that their legs feel sore, heavy, or “wobbly,” especially during the first few days of being sick. These aches are usually caused by inflammation and the body’s immune response to the infection, and they often improve as the child starts recovering.
If your child suddenly develops leg pain alongside typical flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, a sore throat, or a poor appetite, it may be related to a viral illness rather than growing pains.
Vitamin deficiencies
In some cases, low iron levels, low vitamin D levels, or inadequate nutrition may contribute to generalized muscle aches in children. Magnesium is often mentioned online, but true magnesium deficiency is not a common cause of growing pains in otherwise healthy children, and research on magnesium supplements for growing pains is still limited.
Children who are extremely picky eaters, constantly exhausted, pale, frequently unwell, or struggling with energy levels may benefit from a proper health assessment rather than simply assuming all leg aches are “normal growing pains.”
What Helps Growing Pains in Children?
Most growing pains improve with simple home care and a bit of extra comfort at bedtime. While there is no single “magic fix,” you may find that a combination of warmth, stretching, rest, and comfort measures can make a big difference.
Gentle massage
Many children find a leg massage very soothing when growing pains flare up at night. Lightly rubbing the calves, thighs, or behind the knees can help relax muscles and provide reassurance at the same time.
Sometimes the comfort and closeness are honestly just as helpful as the massage itself, especially for younger children who wake up frightened or uncomfortable overnight.
A warm bath before bed
A warm bath in the evening can help relax muscles after active days and may reduce nighttime discomfort. This can be particularly helpful after physically active days. Adding a calming bedtime routine alongside the bath often helps, too, especially for overtired children.
Heat packs or warm compresses
Some children feel better with gentle warmth placed over sore areas for a short period before bed. A warm heat pack, warm towel, or hot water bottle wrapped safely in a cloth can help relax aching muscles.
Always make sure heat packs are warm rather than very hot, and supervise younger children carefully to avoid burns.
Stretching before bed
Simple stretching exercises before bedtime may help children who frequently complain of tight or aching legs at night. Gentle stretches for the calves, thighs, and hamstrings are usually enough. There is no need for complicated exercise routines or turning bedtime into a family yoga retreat nobody asked for.
Stretching should never be painful. The goal is simply to loosen tight muscles after active days.
Supportive shoes during the day
Children who spend long hours in very unsupportive shoes, worn-out takkies, or completely flat shoes may experience more muscle fatigue in their legs and feet.
Comfortable, supportive footwear can sometimes reduce strain, especially in active children or children with flat feet or hypermobility.
Hydration and balanced meals
Children often forget to drink enough water during the day, especially at school. Dehydration and poor overall nutrition can sometimes contribute to muscle aches.
Encouraging regular meals, snacks, and hydration throughout the day may help reduce general muscle fatigue.
Rest after active days
Sports tournaments, long playground sessions, hiking, jumping on trampolines, or nonstop activity during school holidays can all leave muscles feeling overworked by bedtime.
Allowing time for rest and recovery after very active days can help prevent aches from becoming worse.
Reassurance
Growing pains can feel very real and very uncomfortable to children, especially in the middle of the night when everything feels bigger and more dramatic. Reassurance often helps more than what you think. The discomfort often settles fairly quickly with comfort measures.
If pain relief is needed, speak to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about appropriate options for your child’s age and weight.
The most important thing is watching the overall pattern. Occasional nighttime aches that improve quickly are very different from persistent pain that affects your child’s sleep, normal activities, or daily life.
What Medicines or Supplements Help with Growing Pains?
Growing pains usually improve with comfort measures and rest. But maybe you’re wondering whether there are medicines that can help when their child is very uncomfortable at night.
Does magnesium help with growing pains?
You may have been advised to try magnesium supplements, magnesium creams, or Epsom salt baths for growing pains. This is because magnesium plays a role in normal muscle and nerve function, and muscle cramps or tight muscles can sometimes improve when underlying magnesium deficiency is corrected.
However, at the moment, there is not enough strong medical evidence to routinely recommend magnesium supplements to prevent growing pains in otherwise healthy children. But magnesium may help to relieve the symptoms of growing pains in the middle of the night when they actually happen.
If your child has persistent muscle aches, poor sleep, unusual tiredness, dietary concerns, or ongoing pain, it is worth discussing this with your healthcare provider rather than assuming magnesium is automatically the solution.
Can panado or Nurofen help with growing pains?
Most children with growing pains do not need regular medication. But if your child is particularly uncomfortable, struggling to settle at night, or waking repeatedly because of sore legs, appropriate pain relief may sometimes help.
Both Panado and Nurofen can help relieve pain in children, but they work slightly differently. Nurofen also has anti-inflammatory effects, while Panado mainly helps with pain and fever relief.
Pain relief should always be appropriate for your child’s age and weight and used as short-term symptom relief rather than a long-term solution
If your child needs pain medication frequently, or if the pain keeps worsening rather than improving, it is important to have them properly assessed instead of repeatedly treating the symptoms at home.
💊 If you are unsure which medicine is appropriate, how often it can be given, or whether Panado and Nurofen can be used together, you can read our full guide to giving Panado and Nurofen to children.
Bottom Line: Growing Pains Are Common, But Some Symptoms Need Attention
Growing pains in children are very common and are usually harmless. They often appear at night, affect both legs, and come after active days.
But while many cases are completely normal, not every child’s leg pain should automatically be labelled as growing pains. Persistent symptoms, limping, swelling, fever, or pain that interferes with normal activities should be checked properly.
And if you’ve ever found yourself standing in a dark bedroom at midnight, rubbing tiny sore legs while wondering whether this is normal, you are definitely not the first parent to do it.
📍Worried about your child’s leg pain, sleep, growth, or recurring aches? At Mums & Bums, we can help assess common childhood concerns, provide reassurance, and decide whether further evaluation is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Pains in Children
What are the signs of growing pains?
Growing pains usually cause aching pain in both legs, especially in the calves, thighs, or behind the knees. The pain often happens at night and improves by morning.
Can growing pains affect one leg only?
Growing pains usually affect both legs. Persistent pain in only one leg should be checked by a healthcare provider.
At what age do growing pains start?
Growing pains are most common between 3 and 12 years old.
Can toddlers get growing pains?
Toddlers can complain of leg pain, but younger children should be assessed carefully because they cannot always describe symptoms clearly.
Why do growing pains happen at night?
Growing pains often become noticeable after active days and during quiet nighttime hours when children are resting.
When should I worry about growing pains?
You should seek medical advice if pain causes limping, swelling, fever, severe discomfort, daytime symptoms, or affects only one leg consistently.
Do growing pains happen every night?
Growing pains usually come and go. Some children may complain for several nights in a row and then be symptom-free for weeks.
Can growing pains wake a child from sleep?
Yes. Growing pains can wake children overnight, although the child is usually well and active the next morning.
What helps growing pains at night?
Massage, warmth, stretching, hydration, reassurance, and rest often help relieve growing pains.
Should leg pain in children always be checked?
Occasional mild growing pains are common, but persistent, severe, or unusual symptoms should always be assessed.
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