Can Chiropractic Help with Growing Pains?

If your child regularly complains of aching legs at night, you may have heard the phrase “growing pains.” They are common in children, particularly during the preschool and early school-age years, and can be concerning for parents when they seem to happen repeatedly.

But can chiropractic care help?

The answer depends on what is actually causing your child's discomfort. While chiropractic care does not directly treat the normal process of growth, gentle chiropractic care may sometimes help when muscle tension, joint stiffness, movement patterns, or physical activity are contributing to a child's aches and discomfort.

What Are Growing Pains?

“Growing pains” is a common term used to describe recurring aches, usually affecting both legs. Despite the name, there isn't good evidence that the pain is directly caused by bones growing.

Typical growing pains often:

• Affect both legs rather than just one

• Occur in the muscles, particularly around the calves, thighs, or behind the knees

• Happen later in the day or at night

• Do not usually cause pain during normal daytime activities

• Don't typically cause swelling, redness, or joint stiffness

• Resolve by morning

Children who are very active may also experience muscle soreness or fatigue from running, jumping, sports, and other activities. This can sometimes be mistaken for growing pains.

Where Can Chiropractic Fit In?

When a child is experiencing recurring aches, it is important to first understand what is causing the discomfort.

A chiropractic assessment can look at how the child's spine and joints are moving, as well as muscle tension, flexibility, posture, and overall movement.

For example, an active child may develop areas of stiffness or muscle tightness after participating in sports. They may also have differences in how they move, squat, run, jump, or land.

In these situations, appropriate care may focus on improving mobility and reducing muscle tension rather than simply treating the area where the child feels pain.

Does Chiropractic Treat Growing Pains?

Not directly.

There is limited evidence that chiropractic treatment itself treats or prevents classic growing pains. Growing pains are generally considered a benign childhood condition and often improve as children get older.

However, not every episode of leg pain in a child is necessarily a growing pain.

If a child's discomfort is related to muscle tightness, joint restriction, sports-related strain, or another mechanical issue, chiropractic care may be one part of a broader approach to helping them move comfortably.

For children, treatment should always be appropriately gentle and based on the individual child rather than assuming that every ache requires an adjustment.

What Might Treatment Look Like?

For a child who is appropriate for chiropractic care, treatment can be very different from the stereotypical image of chiropractic treatment.

Care may include:

• Gentle joint mobilization

• Soft-tissue techniques

• Muscle and mobility work

• Stretching recommendations

• Movement and exercise advice

• Education for parents and children about activity and recovery

Depending on the child's age and symptoms, the focus may be as much on movement, flexibility, strengthening, and self-management as hands-on treatment.

Don't Automatically Blame Everything on “Growing Pains”

This is an important point for parents.

If your child has occasional aching in both legs that occurs in the evening or at night and they are otherwise active and well, growing pains may be a reasonable explanation.

But persistent or unusual pain deserves further assessment.

Parents should seek medical evaluation if a child has symptoms such as:

• Pain consistently affecting only one leg

• Pain that occurs during the day or interferes with normal activities

• Swelling, redness, or warmth around a joint

• Persistent limping

• Significant or worsening pain

• Fever or unexplained illness

• Unexplained weight loss

• Weakness or changes in normal movement

• Pain that repeatedly wakes the child and is becoming more severe

These symptoms don't necessarily mean something serious is happening, but they shouldn't simply be attributed to growing pains without further evaluation.

Helping Your Child Stay Active and Comfortable

Children are constantly moving, and some soreness is a normal part of being active. Adequate rest, hydration, regular physical activity, good nutrition, and appropriate recovery can all play a role in keeping young bodies moving well.

For an active child experiencing recurring aches, it can also be helpful to look at the bigger picture:

How are they moving? Are certain muscles consistently tight? Are there areas of stiffness? Are they participating in a lot of repetitive activity? Are they getting enough recovery between activities?

These questions can sometimes provide more useful information than simply asking, “Are these growing pains?”

The Bottom Line

Growing pains are common and generally aren't something that needs to be “fixed” with chiropractic care.

However, if your child is experiencing recurring aches or discomfort, especially if they are very active or involved in sports, a thorough assessment can help determine whether something other than typical growing pains may be contributing.

At Lolo Wellness, our approach to pediatric chiropractic care is gentle and focused on helping children move comfortably and confidently. When appropriate, care can include gentle mobility work, soft-tissue techniques, and simple exercises or stretches that children and parents can use at home.

And if the symptoms don't fit the typical pattern of growing pains, the first step may simply be determining whether further medical assessment is needed.

Have questions about your child's aches, mobility, or sports-related discomfort? Contact Lolo Wellness to discuss whether an assessment may be appropriate.