ABSTRACT
Painful joint is one of the most common complaints in children, indicating joint pain not accompanied by obvious clinical signs of arthritis. It may be generalised, involving multiple joints, mostly caused by a viral infection, benign growing pain, joint hypermobility or minor trauma. Painful ankle may be due to sport injury or referred pain from avascular necrosis of the navicular bone or the metatarsal head. Bone marrow aspiration is diagnostic. Myalgia can be the presenting symptom of some serious diseases including bone tumours. Knee joint pain may be a referred pain originating from a diseased hip, such as transient synovitis. The knee joint is more superficial than the hip and both share common nerve branches. Chronic musculoskeletal pain is usually caused by non-inflammatory conditions such as joint hypermobility. In children with all, more than 50% present with bone involvement with limping and pain typically in the morning, mainly in the lower extremities.
