Common paediatric conditions of the lower limb

Abstract

Growing children are susceptible to a number of disorders to their lower extremities of varying degrees of severity. The diagnosis and management of these conditions can be challenging. With musculoskeletal symptoms being one of the leading reasons for visits to general practitioners, a working knowledge of the basics of these disorders can help in the appropriate diagnosis, treatment, counselling, and specialist referral. This review covers common disorders affecting the hip, the knee and the foot. The aim is to assist general practitioners in recognising developmental norms and differentiating physiological from pathological conditions and to identify when a specialist referral is necessary.

Keywords: Osgood-Schlatter; Perthes; cavus; equinovarus; heel pain; hip dysplasia; intoeing.