Child has unexplained ankle pain

Childhood is the most naughty period. Children are active every day, jumping up and down, and falling down is a common occurrence. Many children continue to play without paying attention after falling, and then complain of ankle pain when they get home. At this time, parents should consider the possibility of a fracture or a sprain. This article introduces the possible causes of ankle pain in young children. Parents can learn about it.

Foot and ankle pain is very common in children. Joint diseases like arthritis are caused due to ankle pain and ankle inflammation. If your child's ankle pain or swelling gets worse or persists, you should contact your pediatrician.

1. Ankle pain symptoms

When your child has ankle pain, he may walk with a limp or have difficulty bearing weight on his foot. When swelling, bruising, and bone tenderness occur along with other symptoms of an injury, you may not know what is causing the pain. Many times, pain is related to birth defects, bone age, or growth problems.

2. Clinical History

When diagnosing ankle pain, the pediatrician will perform a complete clinical evaluation of the child's body. If the nature of the pain changes with activity or rest, your doctor may want to consider checking the specific location of the pain when it first occurred. The doctor will also ask the parents whether there is a family history of this disease, which can also affect bone disease. It is also necessary to rule out other disorders affecting the muscles including the nervous system.

3. Physical examination

When trying to diagnose the cause of your child's ankle pain, your child's body plays an important role in the physical examination. Your child may also need to have the pain retested to test the strength of the ankle joint. Depending on your child's symptoms, your doctor may order X-rays, CT scans, bone scans, or MRIs to take a closer look at the bones and muscles.

4. Fracture

For active young children, foot and ankle pain is often caused by minor trauma or repetitive stress. Children's ligaments are harder than bones or cartilage. Therefore, fractures are a more common site of injury than sprains. Young children often suffer sprains and strains, even though these are uncommon.

5. Sprain

A sprain occurs when a muscle or tendon attached to a bone is stretched too much. This problem also tends to occur suddenly. It is usually not recommended for young children to participate in various sports to prevent strains, but children may sprain their ankles if they accidentally fall to the ground.

6. Arthritis

Autoimmune diseases such as arthritis may cause ankle pain in your baby. Arthritis that occurs in childhood, also known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, is one of the most common chronic diseases. Young children may experience morning stiffness and limp. How long JRA will last is unpredictable, but in most cases the disease eventually goes into spontaneous remission. The focus of treatment is also on controlling pain, preventing joint damage and preserving joint function.