It's the middle of the night, and your child wakes up crying with pain in their legs. You gently massage their calves, and after a while, they fall back asleep. The next morning, the pain is completely gone — as if nothing happened.

Sound familiar? Then your child most likely has growing pains. It's one of the most common causes of leg pain in children — and fortunately, completely harmless.

What Are Growing Pains?

Growing pains are recurring pains in the legs that affect children, most often in the evening or at night. Despite the name, it's not actual growth that causes the pain — research has found no direct connection between growth periods and pain episodes.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), growing pains are believed to result from muscle fatigue after an active day. Children who run, jump, and climb a lot put more strain on their muscles than they're used to — and this can cause pain during rest.

Growing pains affect 10–20% of all children. They're most common between ages 3 and 12, though some children may experience them as early as age 2. Boys and girls are affected equally.

Typical Symptoms

Growing pains have a characteristic pattern that makes them relatively easy to recognize.

Signs of growing pains:

Pain in both legs, most often in the calves, thighs, or behind the knees
Pain occurs in the evening or at night — usually after an active day
Pain is gone by morning — the child feels perfectly fine upon waking
No swelling, redness, or warmth in the painful area
The child doesn't limp and moves normally during the day
Pain comes and goes — some weeks with discomfort, then a break

Growing pains never affect the joints. If your child has pain in a specific joint (knee, hip, ankle), you should contact a doctor — it may be caused by something else.

How Does It Feel for the Child?

Children describe growing pains differently depending on their age. Younger children cry and hold their legs without being able to explain more. Older children may describe it as an aching, throbbing, or stabbing sensation deep in the muscles.

The pain can vary in intensity — from mild discomfort to quite severe pain that wakes the child from sleep. Some children experience it weekly, while others only a few times a year.

What Causes Growing Pains?

Despite growing pains being recognized for over 200 years, the exact cause is still not fully understood. There are several theories.

Muscle Fatigue

The most widely accepted explanation is that growing pains result from muscle overuse. Children are physically active in a different way than adults — they run, jump, climb, and play intensely throughout the day.

When the body rests at night, the tired muscles can cause pain. This explains why the pain is worse after particularly active days.

Lower Pain Threshold

Some researchers believe that children with growing pains have a generally lower pain threshold. This means they experience normal muscle fatigue as more painful than other children.

Flexibility and Joint Mobility

Children with increased joint mobility (hypermobility) may have a higher risk of growing pains. Ligaments and tendons that are more flexible than usual place extra strain on the muscles.

Heredity

There is a hereditary component. If one of the parents had growing pains as a child, there's a greater chance the child will experience them too.

Pay attention to whether the pain is worse after particularly active days. A pattern of high activity followed by nighttime pain strongly suggests growing pains.

Child playing actively in a park in the afternoon

How to Help Your Child

Growing pains don't require medical treatment, but there's plenty you can do to ease the discomfort.

Massage

Gentle massage of the painful area is the most effective measure. Use your hands to knead and stroke the calves and thighs with steady, calm movements.

Massage increases blood circulation to the muscles and helps them relax. Many children fall back asleep during the massage. The bonus is that the physical closeness provides security and comfort.

Heat

Heat works as a muscle relaxant and pain reliever.

Place a warm (not hotter than comfortable) heating pad or towel on the painful area
A warm bath before bedtime can prevent nighttime pain
Warm socks or leg warmers can provide relief

Stretching

Gentle stretching of calf and thigh muscles before bedtime can reduce nighttime pain. Make it part of the bedtime routine.

Simple exercises:

Calf stretch: The child stands with hands against the wall and leans forward gently with straight legs
Thigh stretch: The child lies on their back and pulls their knee toward the chest, holding for 20 seconds
Ankle rolls: The child sits and slowly rolls their ankles in circles — 10 times in each direction

Do you have established bedtime routines? Incorporate the stretching exercises as a natural part of the evening routine.

Pain Relief When Needed

For severe pain, you can give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) at the recommended dose for your child's weight. Consult your pediatrician for correct dosing guidelines.

Never give pain medication preventively — only for active pain. If your child needs pain relief regularly, contact a doctor to rule out other causes.

Comfort and Understanding

Growing pains can be frightening for a child who doesn't understand why it hurts. Explain in simple words that the pain is harmless and comes because the muscles are tired after an active day.

Say things like: "Your legs worked really hard today. Now they're resting, and it can feel a bit sore. But it will pass, and by morning you'll feel fine again."

When Should You Contact a Doctor?

Growing pains are a harmless condition that doesn't require a doctor's visit. But there are other causes of leg pain in children that should be ruled out.

Contact a doctor if your child has:

Pain in one specific spot that the child can point to
Swelling, redness, or warmth over the painful area
Limping or reluctance to use the leg
Pain that is present in the morning and doesn't go away
Fever along with leg pain
Pain that doesn't respond to massage or pain medication
General fatigue, weight loss, or reduced appetite
Pain that gets worse over time instead of coming and going

Pain in a specific joint with swelling or warmth may indicate inflammation and should always be evaluated by a doctor. The same applies if the child limps or refuses to walk.

What Does the Doctor Do?

If the doctor suspects something other than growing pains, the examination will usually include:

A thorough clinical examination of the legs and joints
Blood tests to rule out infection or inflammation
Possibly X-rays or ultrasound

Growing pains are a so-called diagnosis of exclusion — meaning the doctor makes the diagnosis when other causes have been ruled out. There is no blood test or X-ray that can directly confirm growing pains.

Other Causes of Leg Pain in Children

It's important to be aware of other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.

Overuse injuries: Children who are very active in sports may develop stress injuries such as Sever's disease (heel pain) or Osgood-Schlatter disease (knee pain)
Transient synovitis: Common in children ages 3–8, causes limping and hip/knee pain, often after an infection
Juvenile arthritis: Chronic joint inflammation — causes morning stiffness, swelling, and pain
Infection: Bone infection (osteomyelitis) causes fever, swelling, and pain in a specific area

If you're in doubt, it's always safe to contact your pediatrician for an evaluation.

Parent comforting child with a warm compress on their legs in the evening

Prevention — Can You Reduce the Discomfort?

You can't prevent growing pains entirely, but these measures can reduce their frequency:

Stretching before bedtime — stretch calf and thigh muscles as part of the evening routine
Good shoes — make sure your child has shoes with proper support and cushioning
Varied activity — avoid sudden increases in activity level
Enough sleep — tired muscles need rest. Learn more about sleep needs by age
Warm bath in the evening — relaxes muscles and prevents nighttime pain

The Good News

Growing pains are completely harmless and temporary. They cause no lasting damage, don't affect your child's growth or development, and always resolve on their own.

Most children have their last growing pain episodes around ages 10–12. In the meantime, massage, warmth, and comfort are the best tools you have.

Does your child wake up from night waking for other reasons? Read our tips for calmer nights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can toddlers under age 3 have growing pains?

Yes, although growing pains are most common from age 3, some children can experience them as early as age 2. In very young children, it's harder to distinguish from other causes, so contact a doctor if you're unsure.

How long do growing pains last?

Each episode typically lasts from a few minutes to a few hours. Periods of repeated episodes can last from weeks to months, with breaks in between. Most children outgrow the problem during childhood.

Can growing pains occur in the arms?

Growing pains occur almost exclusively in the legs — especially the calves, thighs, and behind the knees. Pain in the arms in children should be evaluated by a doctor, as it may be caused by other conditions.

Should the child avoid physical activity?

No. Physical activity is important for children's development and health. Growing pains are not a sign of injury, and the child can be just as active as usual. Stretching after activity can help prevent nighttime pain.

Are growing pains hereditary?

There appears to be a hereditary component. Parents who experienced growing pains as children have a higher chance that their children will also get them. The mechanism isn't fully understood, but it supports the theory of a lower pain threshold in some families.

Summary

Growing pains are common, harmless, and temporary. The typical signs are pain in both legs in the evening or at night that is completely gone by morning. Massage, warmth, and stretching are the best remedies.

Contact a doctor if your child has pain in one specific spot, swelling, limping, fever, or pain that is present during the day. These symptoms suggest other causes that should be investigated.

Sources: AAP - Growing Pains, Mayo Clinic - Growing Pains, Cleveland Clinic - Growing Pains

Last updated: March 2026

Growing Pains in Children: Symptoms and What You Can Do