Leg pain can happen for many different reasons. Leg pain may feel like an ache, soreness, or sharp pain and is often worse with walking. Pain can happen from different areas inside the leg and affect anywhere from the thigh to the ankle. The pain can come on slowly or suddenly, but usually gets better within a few weeks. Follow these instructions to care for your child.

• Follow your health care provider's recommendations for:
  • how long your child should take a break from sports and activities that might put stress on the leg, such as running, dancing, and jumping
  • trying low-impact exercises that are less likely to cause pain, such as swimming or biking
  • any stretching or strengthening exercises
  • seeing a physical therapist

       For pain, your child can:

• Take ibuprofen (such as Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand), if recommended by your health care provider. Follow the directions on the label for how much they should take and how often.
• Place a cold pack wrapped in a towel on the area for 15–20 minutes a few times a day for the first few days after an injury. Put a towel or cloth between the cold pack and the skin. 
• Place a heat pack wrapped in a towel on the area for no longer than 20 minutes (being careful not to burn the skin) or have your child take a warm bath or shower. Heat packs can also help with stiffness.
• Try massaging the area.

Your child:

• has pain that gets worse 
• has no improvement in pain after a few days
• has signs of infection, such as fever, swelling, warmth, or redness of the leg
• has trouble walking normally (limps)
• develops other new symptoms, such as pain in other areas of the body, a rash, or tiredness

Your child:

• has severe pain
• can't stand or walk on the leg
• has numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot

What can cause leg pain? Many things can cause leg pain, such as:

• overuse
• muscle strain
• poor posture
• sports, especially if someone does too much activity too quickly 
• an injury
• stress
• other medical conditions, like an infection or inflammation

What can help prevent leg pain? It may help for your child to:

• Work with a sports trainer to make sure they don't overtrain and that they warm up and cool down correctly.
• Wear supportive athletic shoes.
• Improve their posture. They should keep their shoulders back, their back straight, and their chin up when sitting and standing, and keep their weight even over both hips and feet when standing.
• Get plenty of physical activity to keep muscles strong.
• Stay at a healthy weight.
• Talk to a counselor if stress might be a cause of the leg pain.

Some kids have leg pain that wakes them up occasionally. This may happen after days when kids have been especially active. It usually feels better with massage or pain medicine.