causes of limping in children
Causes of Limping in Children
Pain, weakness or deformity constitute the major causes of limping in children. Various diseases and disorders can affect the movement of the leg, resulting in limping. Read on to know what causes it.
- Injuries, puncture wounds, stress fractures, lacerations while playing, cycling, etc. are very common in children.
- Peroneal nerve palsy after a trauma or hereditary motor sensory neuropathy can lead to uneven and jerky gait.
- Musculoskeletal diseases can severely affect the capacity of the back and legs to support the body.
- Brain anoxia (lack of oxygen) and cerebral palsy can lead to spastic gait (toe walking).
- Juvenile arthritis, diabetes can lead to joint pain, joint deformity, peripheral neuropathy, resulting in limping.
- Any problem or disorder of the vertebrae, femur, tarsals, metatarsals can result in limping.
- Blood circulation problems can cause pain or numbness in legs.
- Various types of infections, very high fever, degenerative back and spine diseases can result in an uneven gait.
- Congenital structural defects in back, hip, legs, can lead to a limp.
- Serious diseases like leukemia, bone cancer can induce limping in children.
- Hip dysplasia, congenital hypotonia, are some of the causes of difficulty in leg movement in children.
- Obesity makes the bones and muscles weak, increasing the chances of injuries.
- Nutritional deficiencies, wrong postures can affect the gait.
- Tears of the meniscus, weakness after surgeries, dislocated joints can lead to limping.
- Use of ill-fitting shoes, not using protective pads, knee caps, etc. while playing can result in injuries.
- Bursitis, tendonitis, bone spurs, corns and calluses, gout can lead to knee or foot pain.
- Neurosyphilis or spinal column space-occupying lesions can be the cause of slapping gait and lack of proprioception.
- Along with fractures, abuse injuries, sprains, slipped disk and avascular necrosis (death of the tissue) can lead to limping in children.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus, other autoimmune diseases, Baker's cyst, injury to collateral and cruciate ligaments, torn ligaments can lead to knee pain and limping.
- Transient synovitis, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis (inflammation of bone and bone marrow due to bacterial infection) are some of the common causes of limping in toddlers.