Well, my understanding is this: Children's bones are not completely 'bone' until they are done growing in their late teens or early twenties. The center part is bone, with cartilaginous growth plates at each end of this part, and then the end parts are also bone. The cartilage grows outward, lengthening the arm or leg or finger, and is turned to bone from the center out.
We tend to think that this growth occurs at a microscopically slow rate, but any observant parent can tell you that children DO go through growth spurts, seeming, in some cases, to spring up overnight. This is when we hear the moans and groans. Why? Well, muscles cross joints. They have to, in order to do their jobs. So, when leg bones grow a few millimeters or more, a thigh muscle, for instance, that attaches below the knee, suddenly finds itself stretched that amount without warning, and it hurts. In fact, all the soft tissues around the growing bone seem affected and tender.
This is where massage comes in. Massage to the muscles all around the affected area improves circulation, helping to nourish the new cartilage/bone and the muscles on top of it, relaxes the poor, stretched and unhappy tissues and just feels good. My children have all come to me at some point or another asking for massage for ankles and knees, especially. This is something anyone can do and only takes a few minutes of your time.
Have your child sit comfortably on the couch with the sore limb in your lap. Use a firm, but gentle touch, and rub all around the joint, moving out in larger circles to the muscles above and below. Ask your child to tell you if you're being too rough, or if it hurts worse. Move the skin around on the muscle below, take a gentle grip of the leg muscle and shake it back and forth. In fact, you can gently shake the whole leg to loosen up everything, and your child will probably find it hysterically funny. This is a nice way to strengthen your bond with your child and to show that you care.
Go To Page: 1 2
