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The formation of a child’s foot begins in infancy, despite the fact that most children master walking after one year of age. The bone tissue of the foot and lower extremities is probably the most intensively and rapidly developing part of the child’s skeleton. And that is why pain in the feet and legs is far from a rare occurrence in childhood.
Vertebroneurologists at the Kyiv “Clinic of Doctor Ignatiev” pay special attention to the condition of the child’s legs and feet. After all, their pathological condition often signals the presence of serious disorders in the overlying structures of the skeleton and the whole organism. The first sign of pathology is most often pain, so if there is any discomfort in the feet of children, it is better not to delay a visit to a pediatric vertebrologist. After making an appointment with a specialist, you must attend an appointment and receive a detailed consultation.
The most common causes of foot pain in children can be:
Examination of the foot for complaints of pain
As a rule, pain is detected as the child's reluctance to walk, crying and irritation when leaning on the leg. Swelling and redness in the joint area is visually noted if arthritis occurs. Often there is no redness, only a difference in volume is noticeable when comparing two legs - the sick and the healthy, since the pain is more often one-sided.
With palpation, a more precise localization of pain can be identified, and protective muscle tension or contraction associated with cramps can be noted. But you shouldn't rely on this type of research alone. The most reliable result can be obtained by x-raying the foot - the images will clearly indicate the presence of injury, arthritis, osteomyelitis and other pathologies of the osteo-articular system.
Usually, doctors at the Ignatiev Clinic in Kyiv quickly recognize the cause of the pathology and prescribe appropriate treatment or refer the patient to a specialized specialist who will begin specific therapy. In any case, you should not delay with professional advice, because... Children have a particularly difficult time with pain and the inability to move freely.
Girls! My son is 4y9m. Recently he started saying that his feet hurt at night. During the day everything is fine, he runs, swims, no complaints. What are these growing pains? He also has planovalgus feet. Of course, I would run to an orthopedist, but we are not in Moscow now. And we will return only to mid-August. I remember how my legs hurt as a child, but it was my legs that hurt, not my feet. Maybe someone has encountered this? Thank you!
My shoes hurt, try changing your shoes.
The shoes don't seem to be new. Although in Moscow he wore orthopedic sandals with a custom insole at home, but we didn’t take them to the sea. But now I remember that he said a couple of times at home that his legs hurt at night.
at home in sandals? O_O you need to be barefoot, your leg doesn’t work, the muscles atrophy if a rigid fixation is constantly in effect. And at sea, do you also wear shoes? You need to be barefoot, both at home and even more so at sea. At home, create a special covering for training your legs (pimply mats, a basin with pebbles, shaggy, soft, prickly mats, and walk on them. At sea, on grass, on sand, on stones.
Oh, to be honest, I don’t know which point of view is correct anymore. My daughter also has flat feet. I followed your path with her: without orthopedic shoes, exercise therapy, swimming, massage, dancing, every year the sea with sand, rugs at home. As a result, she is 11 years old, the hallux valgus has gone away a long time ago, her flat feet have improved a little, but, alas, not completely. Therefore, I decided to try with my youngest to follow the path of our orthopedists, and they all recommend high boots with an insole. Of course, we didn’t take them to the sea. Here barefoot on the sand, on the grass by the pool. But sometimes you still have to put on shoes) We use regular sandals.
Yes, also, flat feet in my children are hereditary. My husband, his father, grandfather, brother, all cousins have this beauty (That’s why it’s difficult to fight, apparently.
Maybe then they hurt because the legs (muscles) began to receive physical activity. If previously they were supported by shoes, now, barefoot, the muscles began to work to support the arch of the foot.
Well, I think that’s where it all comes from. We changed our shoes, other muscles began to work, and from there the pain in my legs came from being unaccustomed to it. How to write: recovered or recovered? — Write: Nipadokhla!
First, you need to correct the valgus, and only then the mats, if the foot goes inside, you need shoes constantly until the foot gets used to the new position, and then remove the flat feet with pebbles and sand.
We have the same problem. Also 5 years old, but they’ve been hurting for a long time. It doesn’t have to be at night, maybe even during the day. The only thing is that this is not a very common occurrence, they can get sick once every couple of months, or maybe even less often. Previously there was valgus, at the moment there is no orthopedics at all according to the orthopedist. What hurts is still a mystery
Growing pains most likely.
When I was a child, my legs also hurt, and my daughter (she just turned 6) had pain in her feet. She already warns me in advance that my legs hurt, mommy massage me today.
Many parents are faced with the phenomenon of pain in their child’s legs. Naturally, every conscious mother and responsible father will be concerned with the question, what is the reason for this phenomenon? And what to do when a little man complains of pain in his legs.
In fact, there are many reasons for the appearance of pain in a child’s lower extremities, from the most harmless bruises to serious diseases. Let's look at them all.
Growing pains. At the age of 5-7 years, the baby “stretches in length” very intensely; sometimes the same growth spurt occurs in adolescence. Moreover, before the onset of puberty, the increase in body length mainly occurs due to the lengthening of the lower limbs. The legs and feet grow fastest at this time. Quite often this is the reason why a child’s calves hurt. This happens due to the fact that when bone and muscle tissue grow rapidly, they need intensive blood supply. And if during the day, during periods of increased physical activity, blood enters the tissues in sufficient quantities, then at night during the period of rest there is not enough blood. It is for this reason that quite often parents are faced with the fact that their child’s legs hurt at night. To relieve pain, you need to stroke the baby’s legs, this will improve blood supply, the discomfort will go away, and he will be able to continue to sleep peacefully.
Orthopedic pathologies such as flat feet, scoliosis, and incorrect posture can cause pain in the lower extremities. Due to the fact that the center of gravity shifts relative to the axis of the spine, the body weight puts uneven pressure on the legs. As a result of this, the load on one part of the limb (thigh, joint, foot, lower leg) increases many times over. Due to continuous excessive pressure, this part of the leg begins to hurt after a while.
Endocrine diseases such as diabetes mellitus, disorders of the adrenal glands or parathyroid glands can cause leg pain in a child. Since they promote demineralization of bone tissue. Pain in the lower extremities can also be a symptom of certain blood diseases.
Neurocircular dystonia is a disease manifested by respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, which leads to intolerance to any physical activity. In this case, most often the child’s legs hurt at night, and quite often the baby complains of a feeling of discomfort in the heart and abdomen, headaches, and sleep disturbances.
One of the causes of pain in the baby’s lower extremities may be congenital pathology of the blood vessels and heart, as a result of which the legs are insufficiently supplied with blood. This disease, unlike the so-called “growing pains,” is characterized by the fact that the child constantly feels discomfort. While walking, he may often fall or stumble, so mothers and fathers need to be very careful around such a baby.
If your child's calves hurt, then perhaps the reason is too intense physical activity. Often parents take their child to several sports sections at the same time. At the same time, they do not think at all that the child’s body is not always able to cope with excessive training.
Also quite often the cause of pain in the baby’s lower extremities is injury. It could be a simple bruise or contusion, or it could be a ligament rupture or fracture. Therefore, if the injured area on the leg not only hurts, but is swollen and inflamed, then the child should be immediately taken to the hospital.
If, at an elevated temperature, a child’s legs, arms, head hurt, or he feels weak, then the cause of these ailments is that the baby has an acute respiratory viral infection or influenza.
Due to insufficient absorption of microelements such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, secondary rickets in children over three years of age may cause severe pain. Most often, parents note that their child’s calves hurt.
Some infectious diseases, when they enter the body of a little person, affect the lower extremities: redness and pain appear in the joints, and in some cases they swell.
To know how to help your baby, you need to find out what causes the pain in your child’s legs. If these are “growing pains,” then it is necessary to increase blood flow to the extremities. To do this, you can apply a warm heating pad to your feet. A warm bath will also help reduce pain.
If the reason that the child’s legs hurt is fever and general malaise, then to improve the baby’s well-being, give him Panadol or Nurofen in an age-appropriate dose. These are children's syrups that have analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects.
In all other cases, the baby must be shown to the pediatrician. So that the doctor examines the child, prescribes tests, and based on their results can promptly diagnose a disease, the symptom of which is pain in the legs.
In conclusion of the article, I would like to tell all parents to listen carefully to their baby and not ignore his complaints about pain in his legs. The child must have shoes that fit, are comfortable and of proper quality. Make sure your baby leads an active lifestyle, moves a lot, and walks outside every day. This will help strengthen the leg muscles and improve blood circulation in the extremities. And, of course, pay attention to the little person’s diet; it should contain a lot of fermented milk products, fruits and vegetables.
It happens that a child is absolutely healthy during the day, but in the evening his legs begin to hurt. Or he wakes up in pain at night. What kind of disease is this and how dangerous is it?
These pains are called growing pains . They do not bother all children , and in some the pain is so weak that children simply do not pay attention to them.
Their causes and mechanism of occurrence have not been fully disclosed. Doctors believe that one of the reasons is that the bones grow quickly, but the muscular system cannot keep up with them , as a result, the muscles and tendons become tense, fit tightly to the bones and compress the joints, which causes a feeling of discomfort. The intensity and localization of pain can be different: most often it is the front surface of the thigh, lower leg or calf . One knee may hurt today, and both ankles may hurt tomorrow. Such pains can in some cases bother even a 3-year-old child, but they are most common among 4-9 year olds .
Growing pains in the legs can be compared to the sensations after heavy physical activity in the gym. Why do my legs hurt and at night ? During the day, the child walks a lot, runs, jumps, and participates in outdoor games, and thus the greatest load falls on the legs.
In many cases, growing pains can be caused by overexertion of tight muscles . The latter do not hurt when children play or exercise, but begin to hurt when they relax at night.
It is necessary to distinguish growing pains from muscle convulsions . Cramps are sharp pain, usually in the calf muscle, accompanied by spasms. With cramps, you can usually see muscle spasms. But with growing pains there are none.
There is also no definite frequency of these pains. They appear for no apparent reason , sometimes more often, sometimes less often. Today the child oohs and ahhs from aching pain, and tomorrow he runs around as if nothing had happened. The calves may ache for several evenings, and then stop, and the pain will recur only after a month or a year. Or they may disappear completely.
Leg pain in children can often be a symptom of a serious disease - rheumatoid arthritis . You should consult a doctor if pain is accompanied by the following symptoms:
Once your doctor has ruled out anything serious, such as arthritis, you can try different remedies to see what works for your child and helps with his pain.
Doctors note that outside the home environment, attacks weaken or stop . But in any case, if you experience frequent leg pain, it is best to consult a doctor to make sure that everything is in order and that the child is really just growing quickly.
Prepared by Olga Tsibulskaya, April 6, 2011.
A child's foot hurts for many reasons. This may be due not only to the growth of the baby himself, but also to various pathologies in the joints, bones, muscles, etc. In addition, leg injuries should not be ruled out, since children are very mobile.
As soon as the baby begins to complain of pain, it is necessary to try not only to alleviate his condition, but also to find out the cause of the disease. It is best to go to the hospital to make a diagnosis and choose the most optimal treatment for your baby.
There are many reasons why children have pain in their legs, including their feet. This may be due to a variety of processes in the baby’s body:
The most common reason is the baby’s childhood, as his bones, ligaments, muscles, and blood vessels begin to actively grow, which supply nutrition to the musculoskeletal system. Before puberty, the child's height increases mainly due to the intensive growth of the legs. It is the foot and lower leg that grow more intensively. Places with the most active growth need to be intensively provided with nutrients and oxygen. The blood vessels that weave around the muscles and bones cannot cope with such a large load, since they do not have an insufficient number of elastic fibers. Their number becomes sufficient only at 8-10 years. Blood circulation improves with active movement, and when the baby sleeps, the intensity of blood circulation decreases, which causes pain due to a sharp drop.
The causes of pain can be various pathologies in the development of the legs. For example, this may be due to scoliosis, posture problems, and flat feet. In such cases, the center of gravity shifts, which leads to changes in pressure on the feet. For example, this may be due to pathology of the pelvic joints. In addition, osteochondropathy also has a negative effect. Pain in the feet can cause Schlatter-Ostud disease and Perthes disease.
A child may have pockets of inflammatory processes in his joints that are caused by various infections. Moreover, the infection could spread to the feet with tonsillitis, caries, adenoiditis, influenza and other diseases. In this case, inflammation in the joints is a secondary disease, that is, it is considered a complication. By the way, if your leg hurts like that, then this may be the first symptom of arthritis or rheumatism. These diseases can also be caused by diabetes mellitus, problems with the functioning of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, and parathyroid gland. This can lead to cartilage tissue being replaced by bone growths, which will impair joint mobility.
This process most often makes itself felt at night. In addition to pain in the legs, the child feels discomfort in the abdomen and in the heart area. A headache appears and sleep is disturbed. The child feels a lack of oxygen.
Certain malformations of the blood vessels and heart can also lead to discomfort and pain in the legs. In this case, the small child will begin to stumble and fall often. He will often complain to his mother that he is tired and his legs hurt, they do not listen to him. You need to check the baby's pulse in the arms and legs. If there are problems with the heart and blood vessels, the pulse will be difficult to feel or even absent when checked on the legs.
Another reason is the inferiority of connective tissues, which is considered congenital. In such cases, the joints can become hypermobile, flat feet, scoliosis, nephroptosis and varicose veins appear.
Heel pain can be caused by problems with the Achilles tendon. This happens if it is stretched. After three years, discomfort in the legs may be associated with a lack of potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
If the pain occurs suddenly, it may be due to injury or bruise. In addition, the causes may be leukemia, Still's disease, respiratory diseases, Schlatter's disease, stress, etc.
It is imperative to listen to the child’s complaints and keep an eye on him. It is necessary to choose comfortable shoes. It is best if the insole is orthopedic to prevent the development of various diseases of the legs and back. A child should not be constantly wearing sneakers, no matter how comfortable they are. Shoes should have firm soles, but they should be soft on top. Be sure to buy shoes that fit.
The child should not sit all the time. Let him play actively outside, as this will only strengthen his muscles and bones. Nutrition should be complete. It includes grains, legumes, fruits, herbs, berries and vegetables. Fish and seafood are healthy.
Parents should pay a lot of attention to the well-being of the baby and monitor his health. At the first complaints, you need to get help or consult a doctor. If your legs hurt after the flu, sore throat, diarrhea and other illnesses, then you should tell your doctor about it.
If pain in the legs is caused by the baby's normal growth, then you can relieve the pain with a light massage that will help you relax. Warm baths in various decoctions will be useful. You can prepare a compress and leave it on the sore spot for a short time. In more severe cases, it is allowed to use Diclofenac or Butadione in the form of ointments before bedtime. If the pain during growth is too pronounced, then you can take a tablet of Paracemol, Ibuprofen or Nurofen. But you need to drink them in an amount 3 times less than the recommended dosage for a baby.
Parents do not always go to the hospital on time if their child has pain in their foot.
This is a big mistake. Of course, the leg can hurt due to the weather and under heavy loads, but in certain cases a visit to the doctor is mandatory. For example, if a child has redness on the knee, hip or ankle joint. This indicates inflammatory processes, so you need to urgently go to the hospital. The same applies to slight redness in the joints and ligaments of the foot.
The obvious reason to go to the hospital is lameness. Even if the child has a slight limp, it is still necessary to check his leg. If you suspect fractures or other injuries, you should also go to the doctor for a check. If slight swelling, swelling and discomfort appear in the foot, then you need to go to the hospital, as these are symptoms of the development of diseases or injury. And old diseases are much more difficult to treat. If the joint has become very swollen and has a brown or red color, then this already indicates a more severe form of the disease. Most likely, the disease is systemic, and the joint has become infected.
It is very important to pay attention to when the pain is more severe. If your baby experiences pain most often in the morning, this may be a symptom of Schlatter's disease, which often manifests itself in childhood. The causes of this disease have not yet been identified. In most cases, the pain is acute. They are felt in the front area of the knee, but can also radiate to other joints of the leg, including the foot.
If a child has foot pain, then you should not ignore these alarm bells. This may be due not only to various injuries or direct growth of the body. The reason may lie in pathological phenomena in the child’s musculoskeletal system. In order not to start the problem, you need to go to the hospital as early as possible to identify the disease and its further treatment.
A child can complain of pain in the legs at absolutely any age and, at first glance, without any apparent reason. In particular, parents are alarmed by the fact that their legs begin to hurt at rest, in a lying position. And, even more so, when the child cannot fall asleep or wakes up because his legs are “twisting” or “squeezing.” In order to understand why a child’s legs hurt at night and decide whether to see a doctor, it is necessary to understand the cause of this ailment.
Leg pain in children can be a symptom of many different diseases, from orthopedic changes to hereditary diseases. The cause may be cardiovascular, neurological disorders (both central and peripheral innervation systems).
Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals can lead to pain. Infectious lesions of the joints and soft tissues of the lower extremities are also accompanied by pain. This symptom also occurs in a number of diseases localized in other areas.
But, they all have their own characteristic features. And they are not limited exclusively to painful manifestations. Moreover, these symptoms are so pronounced and intense that concern about night pain in the legs fades into the background, and the child, as a rule, is already observed by a specialist of the appropriate profile.
If the cause is orthopedic changes, then you can find in the child a flattening of the arch of the feet, their incorrect position when walking (the initial form of clubfoot) or a valgus deformity of the ankle joint (in which the legs “fall” inward). There may be an X- or O-shaped curvature of the legs. The problem may be higher - all types of postural disorders, scoliosis, kyphosis and other deformities of the spine and chest.
Neurological causes of pain in the legs are likely in neurocirculatory dystonia, especially of the hypotonic type (with constant low blood pressure). In this case, the child will experience both cardiac (painful sensations) and intestinal (impaired peristalsis) symptoms.
Vascular diseases are mainly associated with insufficient blood supply to the lower extremities due to impaired venous outflow (with varicose veins or congenital heart pathology). Inadequate blood flow can also be temporary - in severe negative stress conditions (including fears and fears).
General (ARVI, a number of childhood infections) and local (arthritis, suppuration of the skin and/or soft tissues) inflammatory processes can also be accompanied by pain in the legs. Possible purulent melting (osteomyelitis) or aseptic destruction of a section of bone tissue (Schlatter, Schinz disease).
Insufficient intake of certain microelements (calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium) into the body can also be accompanied by muscle pain (even cramps) in the legs. The reason may also lie in a hereditary disorder of the structure of muscle and/or connective tissue. Tumors, including malignant ones, grow with pain.
“Night” pain in the legs, as an independent manifestation
In isolation, such anxiety often arises during the period of active growth of the child and/or during intense physical activity. In both cases, muscle fibers are overstrained throughout the day. When the greatest relaxation of the muscles occurs, the accumulated products of incomplete metabolism (lactic acid) and some substances inherent in inflammatory reactions of tissues are released from them.
The latter narrow the lumen of blood vessels, thereby making it difficult to remove metabolic products. Moderate swelling of the overloaded muscle fibers occurs, which also somewhat compresses the small branches of the sensory nerves. All this together leads to pain at rest. Otherwise, this condition is called “tension pain.”
As noted above, a child may describe the feeling of pain as “twisting” or “squeezing.” Manifestations can be very intense. He asks to stroke his legs (in the calves) and give him a massage.
A relaxing bath (slightly hot) with the addition of pine needle extract can quickly help cope with this manifestation. A light massage of the feet, calves, and thighs will complement the effect. The psychological effect of the “magic blanket” helps young children well.
If such manifestations occur regularly, consult your pediatrician.
A cramp is an involuntary painful contraction of muscles. The limb becomes numb and hurts for some time. Contractions vary in duration, strength and extent. More often appear at night. Doctors classify them by type, look at the longevity and the location of the muscle spasm.
There are a number of reasons for the appearance of spasms, which are individual in nature. Spasms sometimes do not require treatment and occur rarely. It is worth observing the body - if the spasm appears constantly, special treatment is required.
The type of cramps that occurs at night is considered painful. A sharp and unexpected spasm will wake you up and the affected muscle will ache. Causes of cramps at night:
Some doctors believe that spasms at night appear due to an uncomfortable sleeping position. More often, a person falls asleep in a position with bent knees, which causes cramping of the leg muscles.
A cramp cramps one finger or all at the same time. Causes of toe cramps:
To treat neurological diseases and pain, you should contact a proven rehabilitation center that uses modern methods of physiotherapy.
A couple of minutes before the spasm appears, a slight tugging of the muscles is felt. The favorite place for cramps is the calf muscle. At night the pain becomes more intense. When the muscle contracts, severe pain is felt. The legs are tense, it is impossible to step on the foot, the muscles are hard and painful when touched.
The main reason is considered to be a lack of microelements and severe fatigue, if the lifestyle is too active, the day is spent on your feet. Atherosclerosis and excessive swelling of the legs are considered to be the causes of painful contractions in the calf muscles. Spinal diseases become the cause. In 70% of cases, cramps arise from heavy work on the legs.
The appearance of such idiopathic seizures is influenced by tense muscles as a result of overload of the body. People who abuse physical activity and neglect rest are sensitive to this type of muscle contraction. Due to a malfunction of the muscles, the likelihood of contractions occurring is too high.
Wearing tight shoes, poor blood flow, advanced age, and poor sleeping position are good reasons for idiopathic causes of cramping.
Due to a lack of vitamins, cramps appear in the human body. Lack of microelements and overwork are secondary causes. This type is considered a symptom of a number of diseases and the main cause of disruption of the body.
A lack of magnesium, which is necessary and important for normalizing muscle contractions, appears from poor nutrition. The appearance of magnesium deficiency is affected by diseases that prevent the microelement from being absorbed into the body as it should be. It is not difficult to understand that there is not enough magnesium. A person gets tired quickly, has difficulty falling asleep, and is characterized by a low mood that turns into depression. Constant back pain and migraines are symptoms of magnesium deficiency.
Calcium is considered similar to magnesium; deficiency of the element is a secondary cause of seizures. Calcium performs similar beneficial actions to magnesium. Signs of calcium deficiency:
Due to a lack of calcium in the body, changes appear in the biochemical composition of human blood.
Let us consider the composition of secondary characteristics. Glucose deficiency, which occurs due to constant uncorrected diets and the use of sugar-lowering drugs. Anemia is a lack of oxygen saturation of blood cells. A sharp change in temperature means short-term and actual convulsions. Diseased vessels of the legs - there is a disturbance in blood flow, the tissues do not receive the required amount of oxygen, and hypoxia appears. The causes are diseases of the lower part of the spine, when the muscles are pinched and sensitivity is impaired.
When the area of the brain responsible for proper and uniform muscle contraction is damaged, leg cramps appear. Damage to the brain area occurs subsequently:
A common reason is being overweight. Possible muscle fatigue, constant tension and severe stressful situations, endocrine diseases and disruption of the nervous system. If you have persistent and extremely painful cramps, immediately consult a doctor and start treatment immediately, otherwise incurable and serious diseases will appear.
90% of pregnant women tell doctors about the occurrence of cramps. Common sites include the feet and toes. But while a woman is carrying a child, this is considered a normal condition, about which there is no need to worry too much, and in this case the seizures cannot be treated. The spasm manifests itself in the presence of excess excess weight, which is recorded in every expectant mother. An enlarged uterus, putting pressure on the nerves, is also considered the cause of constant cramps.
Increased swelling due to increased blood volume and increased circulation causes contractions. The causes of leg cramps are a predisposition to varicose veins, lack of vitamins and hormonal changes in the body.
If a child experiences contractions periodically, there is no talk about illness. More often this happens due to the growth and development of the child and the body. It is worth tracking the amount of vitamins and replenishing the deficiency.
Flat feet or cold cause painful tension in the legs. Make sure your child sleeps properly; an uncomfortable position over time can lead to unintentional contractions.
It is important and necessary to consult a doctor immediately after their appearance in order to find out and eliminate the cause. If the spasms are regular, it is worth carrying out the necessary treatment with the use of a special medicine. Before starting treatment, it is recommended to consult a therapist. The doctor will conduct an initial examination and give directions for the required tests. After the manipulations have been performed, you will be offered to see an endocrinologist, neurologist or cardiologist.
If the cause is a disease, then it must be treated immediately. Special treatment will help prevent illness and spasms. If there are no diseases or a muscle spasm occurs once, simple tips to eliminate further occurrence of cramps will suffice.
In any case, it is necessary to treat painful sensations. The main thing is to find and remove the cause of its appearance. Time will pass, and the cramps at night will leave memories. Tips for avoiding cramps: correct and review your diet, do not overdo it with training and exercise, take diuretics only as prescribed by your doctor in the right dose, periodically do simple exercises, stretching your leg muscles.
If you experience leg cramps at night, don’t panic. You need to relax, try to take deep, even breaths and exhales. Stand on the cool floor and straighten up. Then you will have to be patient: standing on your feet, lift your toes up, it will be painful and unpleasant. The muscles stretch, the spasm goes away.
If the cramp does not subside, simply pinch the sore spot on your legs where the spasm is localized. After relaxing the muscles in the cramped area, place a cushion of a blanket or pillow under your feet so that your limbs are higher than the level of your heart and head.
Leg spasms also appear when swimming in the sea. Be careful, especially if swimming in deep water. Follow the rules: immediately roll over onto your back and try to pull your foot toward you with your fingers. If that doesn't help, pin a pin to your swimming trunks to lightly prick the cramped area. If you are swimming in the pool and feel that your legs are cramping, stop swimming immediately and go to the surface. The reason is the water temperature is below 20 degrees.
Often your legs cramp at night or in the middle of the day - fight it. If no danger occurs, follow the tips below:
If the advice is followed, there is a chance you will not find out about the unpleasant muscle contraction at night.
Dear subscribers, hello! I was asked why my legs twist at night and what to do to calm down? Today we'll talk about restless legs syndrome. Many of us suffer from insomnia, and every third person, if not more often, cites the reason for their inability to sleep as the fact that their legs are very twisted, and sometimes they even pull - which is also not entirely pleasant.
The sensations are specific - unpleasant, you want to jerk your leg to relieve the tension. It's not itching, it's not pain, it's not even numbness. Some internal nerve nodes that relax for a while as you move your leg, and then accumulate again and prevent you from falling asleep. Let's talk about this today. Why he breaks and twists his legs and what to do to get rid of this scourge.
Our body, in particular the nervous system, has certain rhythms that synchronize our internal clock. At a certain time, in the evening, we want to sleep, the whole body relaxes and drowsiness sets in. If you lie down during this period, you will fall asleep quickly and without problems. But if something interferes, distracts, or shakes up the psyche , then there is a high probability that your legs will begin to twist.
To prevent this from happening, plan your evening, create a calm atmosphere in the evening. Do not allow nervous worries or a surge of emotions. Before going to bed, suck on Glycine or Valerian - if your leg aches, this will help. Drink soothing herbal teas. I will talk about this in more detail later in the text.
This diagnosis is made very rarely. If a person with such problems visits a doctor, most often he will leave with nothing. That is, the doctor will not identify any problems and outwardly aching legs will be completely healthy. And even an ultrasound will not show any internal changes. And the blood vessels and joints in the legs will be in good condition.
Comfortable position of the legs if they are twisted
Neurologists will also not make a diagnosis, since in their field everything will look normal. But for a person whose legs twist as soon as he gets into bed, this does not make it any easier. The problem remained the same...
This phenomenon, when you can’t sleep - your legs are dragging, but doctors don’t make any diagnosis at the appointment, can be called restless legs syndrome.
Relaxing body position for sleeping
Most often, the legs begin to twist when a person has already laid down on the bed and is getting ready for sleep. Some kind of internal tension begins to build up and you need to release it - move your legs. Of course, after a short time the tension accumulates again and everything repeats again and again. No sleep.
Please note that similar problems are also present in children who are fidgety . They say about such children that they have a problem in one place. But children fall asleep easier, get tired and literally sleep on the go. But we, adults, cannot sleep from these symptoms.
The syndrome occurs more often in older people, but it can also occur in middle-aged people. Women are more likely to suffer from leg discomfort than men.
It is difficult to identify one reason. A person just feels a burning desire to move his legs while lying in bed. Some doctors say that the predisposition to the syndrome is higher in those people whose parents suffered from this scourge.
There is an opinion that the problem arises from the nervous tension accumulated during the day , which comes out in this way, through the need to move the leg muscles.
It has also been noted that restless legs manifest themselves in people suffering from anemia, renal failure, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease. But it is impossible to call these particular diseases the cause of the syndrome, since it also occurs in those who do not suffer from the above diseases.
even coffee or tea drunk before bed or after 3 pm can cause restlessness in the legs Emotional conversation after 18:00 can also be a cause of torsion in the legs. People prone to increased nervous excitability tend to twist their legs more often. So take note and spend your evening time in a relaxed environment.
The simplest and most effective remedy for such problems is to dissolve a Glycine tablet before going to bed . The drug very well relieves all symptoms of restlessness in the legs, relaxes the psyche, acts gently and is recommended for everyone, even children. The tablet has a sweetish taste; it should be placed under the tongue and held until completely absorbed. Otherwise, you can just dissolve it in your mouth, it will also work.
If your legs are twisting, drink valerian
Valerian also relaxes the legs very well . Suck a regular Valerian pill under your tongue and your sleep will be smooth and without any urge to nervously move your legs.
You can also take the herbal sedative drug Novo-passit . It's more expensive, but it's good and works. In principle, these three remedies will be enough to certainly remove all the symptoms of restlessness and twisting in the legs.
Novo-Passit will calm your feet
Create a calm environment after 18:00. Drink soothing herbal infusions. A good effect is obtained by taking sedative collection No. 2 and No. 3 - sold in all pharmacies. Brew a bag and drink as tea before bed.
To prevent your legs from twisting, take a sedative herbal mixture
Of the stronger pharmaceutical drugs, Nakom, Madopar and Mirapex soothe feet very well. They are prescribed to patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. But this should not bother you! If you take these medications before bedtime, you will not have torsion in your legs.
Drugs that treat epileptic seizures also help. These are Gabapentin and Clonazepam. Of course, these medications only relieve the symptoms, but the problem remains. So deal with your nervous irritants.
Some people tell me that ointments help them with restless legs. In particular, the Zvezdochka type. To this I can say that there is simply a substitution of sensations. Everything moves from the inside to the outside. You feel skin irritation and problems from inside your legs are relieved. It will help some, but for others it won’t even make them want to sleep. So I wouldn't recommend ointments.
Here everyone should experiment on their own. It may help one, but not another. But this is probably very effective, since you disperse the blood and lymph, causing the muscles to relax very well. Massage can help.
This method helps everyone. Feet that are well warmed before bed will not bother you. They will be relaxed and nervous impulses in them will not cause the desire to change position. You should not take baths that are too hot. Overheating is also undesirable.
What to do if you are woken up in the middle of the night by the urge to spin your legs? Try lightly massaging your calves and thigh muscles . This will relieve nervous tension, which accumulates and provokes a change in position.
Also, always have Glycine in your first aid kit for such a case. I already wrote about it above, the drug perfectly eliminates twisting, the legs stop twitching on their own.
Don't eat heavily at night , or better yet, don't eat after 6 p.m. Also, avoid drinking tea and coffee in the afternoon. Take a walk before bed. In the evening, no stimulating films or conversations.
Before going to bed, stretch your legs, toes toward you, heels away from you, to stimulate lymph flow after a day of wakefulness.
Of course, it is important to understand why your whole body breaks down before going to bed. This may be a sign of an onset cold or flu. If you also feel weak and want to lie down, then most likely the body aches are due to a viral cold.
I can also recommend my personal collection for calming your feet and general relaxation before bed. The herbal collection includes: valerian (Valeriana), oregano (Origanum ) , sweet clover (Melilotus), thyme (Thymus), motherwort (Leonurus). This fee can be ordered in a personal message.
In conclusion, I will answer one more question that was asked not so long ago. A person's legs twitch both in a standing and lying position. The reasons for this phenomenon can most often be a lack of salt in the diet, we were talking about muscles. So, nerve impulses cannot pass through tissues efficiently if there is not enough salt in the body.
Unfortunately, this problem is very common among those who decide to completely give up salt. This is unacceptable, as it leads to muscle twitching. If you experience similar phenomena, then add 2-4 grams of salt to your diet. This will benefit the transmission of nerve impulses and your condition will improve.
My baby has had this problem since birth, she is now three, but why only during the cold season. I remember the same problem all my childhood.
Elena, during cold periods, muscles require more energy and salts to maintain electrolyte balance.
This has been happening to me every night for the past 5-6 years, but it’s not pain, it’s some kind of internal itching, some kind of feeling as if there’s something numb and it doesn’t happen when I’ve already been lying down for two hours watching TV, as soon as I decide to sleep it starts gesticulating with your feet feels like it’s something psychological and it really irritates me, it hurts my heart. I read your recommendations, we’ll try it, otherwise I didn’t even know what the disease was called, or how to explain it to the doctor. Thank you
Yes, this is terrible for me, this is how it started for two days, I haven’t slept for 2 days, I’m 30 years old, what should I do?
Thanks to the author! Very accessible and fully presented.
Legs, as a unique means of human transportation, are exposed to heavy loads every day and the influence of various factors, which often lead to pain. One of the most vulnerable parts of the legs is the foot. Violations of its normal functionality can lead to pain on the rise, both during walking and at rest.
The important functions of the foot are ensured by its complex structure, which consists of 26 bones, as well as many muscles and joints, ligaments and fascia, blood vessels and nerves. The foot cushions the body as it “connects” to the surface. But any, even minor, pathology of one of the components of the foot can lead to the development of pain in the instep of the foot.
The numerous functions of the foot are due to its complex structure. It consists of the tarsal, metatarsal sections and fingers. Thanks to the large number of joints, the foot can flex and extend freely, and rotate at the ankle joint. The bones are surrounded by ligaments, facia and muscles, forming the complete arch of the foot. However, if this integrity is violated under the influence of external or internal factors, subsequently injuries or serious pathologies, the leg hurts when lifting, and quite severely.
Metatarsalgia in the instep of the foot, that is, pain in the metatarsal region, occurs with increased load. There are many reasons for pain in this part of the foot, but the weight of the body that the feet constantly feel when walking affects their functional abilities.
The foot constantly has to withstand the entire load of the human body. At the same time, it performs not only the function of movement when walking, but also the support function in a standing position.
Pain at the top of the foot brings significant discomfort because it causes a feeling of tension and stiffness in a person. The situation can be further aggravated by swelling, which is a frequent accompaniment of pain and does not allow you to wear your favorite shoes. What caused the pain in the instep of the foot, the cause of the disease will be correctly determined by a specialist. Depending on the symptoms and development of the disease, the disease falls under the competence of a traumatologist, rheumatologist, orthopedic specialist or even a surgeon.
The instep of the foot hurts in different ways. The nature of the pain differs in its intensity and duration depending on the cause of the disease. This may be a sharp and severe, throbbing pain, but it may last for a short time (up to several minutes). Sometimes pain in the instep becomes chronic, does not lose its severity for a long time, or becomes dull, but the leg does not stop hurting, aching and causing discomfort.
The lower limbs may swell, the foot increases in size, swelling appears, and the skin changes its structure. The degree of manifestation of these symptoms is determined by the disease, and the attending physician makes a diagnosis, taking into account, first of all, the nature of the pain and accompanying manifestations.
Pain in the instep of the foot is caused by pathologies, injuries and uncomfortable shoes. Pain in the instep is often not a single symptom of the disease. At the same time, the sick person suffers from severe itching and burning in the damaged area of the foot, and numbness in some areas.
There are many reasons why puffiness, pain and swelling occurs in the instep. It’s not uncommon for your legs to hurt after a hard day if you had to constantly move. The leg muscles become overtired, and the bones, adapting to long walking, become somewhat deformed, which causes pain in the evening.
One of the common causes of pain on the top of the foot is poor nutrition, which leads to bone fragility and fractures. Nutrition is of great importance for bone health. If the body does not receive sufficient quantities of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, for example, during restrictions and diets, the bones lack magnesium, calcium and phosphorus. This causes brittleness and fragility of bones. The risk of fractures in such cases increases several times; you can easily break your leg simply by falling, and this will cause severe pain.
The person himself contributes to pain when lifting, leaving his physical form unattended. Weakened ligaments and muscles often lead to leg injuries, dislocation of the feet and joints, and pain.
Women, who are more predisposed to it, especially suffer from pain in the legs. Women often have pain in their legs due to hormonal changes in the body. During pregnancy, a woman’s legs feel double pressure, her legs hurt and there is a lack of calcium, which is excreted in large quantities during breastfeeding and after childbirth. Menopause leads to various leg diseases and fractures as calcium in a woman's body decreases by one percent every year.
Summarizing all the reasons why the leg hurts when lifting, experts identify several of the most common:
The appearance of pain in the instep is also affected by excess weight, which puts additional stress on the ankle area of the legs.
A common disease characterized by pain when lifting is osteoporosis. It is characterized by the fact that it does not manifest itself in any other way than pain in the feet. The leg hurts when at rest, the discomfort increases with movement, the leg hurts especially in the area of the bone when pressing on it.
Osteoporosis develops, according to doctors, due to the leaching of calcium and phosphorus from the bones. The disease may be associated with a general deficiency of minerals in the human body, changes in bone tissue with age, excessive stress due to extra pounds, pregnancy and diseases of the endocrine system.
Treatment of the pathology requires a decrease in physical activity and normalization of nutrition. The patient needs a diet that includes foods rich in vitamin D and minerals, as well as calcium supplements. For endocrine disorders, hormonal therapy is prescribed.
Intense pain on top of the foot causes arthritis. They cause destructive processes in the joints and balls of the foot, and can be triggered by various reasons. Infectious and non-infectious joint diseases include arthritis of the reactive or infectious-allergic type, rheumatoid, rheumatic and gouty types, infectious arthritis and Reiter's syndrome.
Whatever the cause of any of the arthritis, the instep always hurts. My toes hurt. The feet may swell and the joints become less mobile. With infectious arthritis, an increase in body temperature and changes in the blood are observed. Untimely treatment leads to a chronic form of the pathology.
Constantly wearing uncomfortable shoes leads to curvature of the foot, the appearance of hallux valgus and deformation of the big toes. The balls of the feet have to constantly withstand heavy loads from high heels; over time, the ligaments and muscles weaken, and the arch of the foot changes shape. The metatarsal bones in the rise of the legs bend outward from constant pressure, forming a valgus angle. The head of the metatarsal joint becomes thinner, curved, begins to swell and regularly causes pain.
“Equine” or equine foot is characterized by pain on the instep of the foot. Flexion and extension of the foot brings pain. A person cannot step on the entire foot; he rests on his toe, heel, or side surface. Such a deformity can be either a congenital curvature or an acquired one.
Occurs due to abnormal development of the embryo, contracture of the ankle joints, consequences of poliomyelitis, damage to the sciatic nerve. With this disease, the skin on the feet folds into rough folds, the legs hurt and are deformed at the fulcrum, the foot gradually changes its structure.
A popular foot disease in women that causes pain in the instep is hallux valgus. It is caused by women's love for high heels and tapered socks.
When you receive a bruise, the injured area must first be frozen and then warmed up; iodine mesh also helps. When a sprain occurs, the doctor prescribes a painkiller and anti-inflammatory drug and secures the foot with a tight bandage. When a ligament ruptures, the pain on the instep is so severe that it does not allow the person to stand on his leg. The same goes for a broken foot. X-rays help determine the extent of injury. In these cases, the doctor uses special individual treatment.
An inexperienced person without medical education may confuse the reasons that cause pain on the top of the foot. Therefore, it is better to refuse the advice of friends, as well as Internet users. It is worth undergoing a competent diagnosis in a medical institution, which will show what to do next with the pain and what treatment methods to use.
Often, pain in the instep of the foot is explained by leg injuries. Common injuries are bruises, which cause bruising and swelling of the foot.