Question
A 12-year-old boy, 176 cm tall, frequently feels knee pain, which worsens after prolonged sitting or standing and is unable to bend his knees while climbing stairs. He occasionally played basketball or rope skipping last year but has pause all sports due to the pain. The pain is not intermittent or limited to specific moments but is continuous. The doctor’s diagnosis is likely growing pains, but the duration of the pain is too long and there has been no improvement. The MRI shows only mild effusion with no other abnormalities. Do experts have any suggested solutions?
Answer
Growth-related pain often occurs during peak growth periods, typically appearing at night, and primarily affects the knees and lower legs, with aching sensations. For growth-related pain, it is recommended to perform regional massage twice a day for 15 minutes each and to supplement with calcium, such as drinking more milk or taking calcium tablets. However, your child’s pain characteristics do not quite match those of growth-related pain, and there is effusion present, which may be related to overexertion-induced synovitis or cartilage softening. Given the effusion, it is advised to rest completely in bed, avoid walking, and promote recovery. To confirm the diagnosis, it is recommended to provide the relevant imaging reports to experts for further evaluation.