Paediatric Orthopaedics — Hip, Foot, Walking and Posture Problems in Babies and Children
Paediatric orthopaedics concerns bone, joint and muscle development from infancy to adolescence. This page groups common family concerns by age and shows which page covers each condition.
A child's skeleton is not a scaled-down adult skeleton. Bones lengthen through growth plates, ligaments are more flexible and many findings resolve naturally with growth. The first question when assessing an orthopaedic finding in a child is therefore not 'Is this disease?' but 'Is this an expected feature of development at this age?'. Making the distinction correctly avoids both unnecessary treatment and delay.
Families' reasons for attending tend to cluster by age. At 0–1 years, hip development is the main concern; examination and hip ultrasound during this period may prevent more extensive treatment later. At 1–3 years, walking takes priority: intoeing, toe walking, bowed legs and sudden limping. In school-age children and adolescents, posture, back and spinal symptoms, sports injuries and growth-related hip and knee pain become more prominent.
This section is the starting point for diagnoses specific to children. Conditions that occur under the same name in children and adults, such as meniscal tears, ACL injuries, patellar dislocation, flat feet and big toe deformity, are explained under 'in children' on the relevant anatomical page. The sections below link to those pages. Diagnoses occurring only in childhood have dedicated pages within this section.
Prof. Dr. Alper Çıraklı assesses children and adolescents at AC CLINIC in Altınordu, Ordu, and is a member of Çocuk Ortopedisi Derneği (ÇOD). Clothing that allows your child to move freely and bringing any previous ultrasound, X-ray and MRI images help the assessment. If the concern involves walking, a short video recorded at home can be very useful during the examination.
The information on these pages is general and does not replace examination. Do not wait if your child suddenly cannot bear weight, limps with fever, has marked swelling or deformity, an open wound, or coldness, bluish discolouration or numbness in a hand or foot: call 112 or attend the nearest hospital emergency department.
By Symptom
Topics
What Is Assessed at Different Ages?
The same sign can mean different things at different ages in paediatric orthopaedics. The summary below shows common issues at each stage; definitive assessment always requires examination.
Ages 0–1: Hips and Congenital Differences
Hip development is the main concern during this period; at-risk babies undergo ultrasound assessment even without symptoms. Foot shape, neck posture and hand or finger differences may also be noticed. For details, see developmental dysplasia of the hip in babies.
Ages 1–3: The Walking Stage
Gait takes years to mature. In-toeing, toe walking and leg angulation are common reasons for consultation during this period, and most decrease with growth. A sudden limp is different and requires prompt assessment. See in-toeing and gait problems in children.
School Age and Adolescence: Posture, Sport and Growing Pains
At this stage, back and spinal posture, sports-related knee and ankle injuries, and growth-related heel and anterior knee pain become prominent. Hip pain and limping beginning in adolescence require separate assessment. For sport-related problems, see sports injuries.
Knee Problems in Children
Meniscal tears, ACL injuries, patellar dislocations and cartilage problems also occur in children, but open growth plates mean that diagnosis and treatment differ from adults. These subjects are covered under child-specific headings on the knee pages.
Foot and Hand Differences in Children
This category includes flat feet, connections between foot bones, accessory bones, big-toe deformity in children and adolescents, and differences in toe shape. These subjects are covered in child-specific sections on the relevant regional pages.
Masses, Infection, Deformity and Foreign Bodies in Children
Bone and soft tissue masses, bone and joint infections, congenital or post-traumatic malalignment and foreign bodies in children are separate subjects, each explained on its own main page. A sudden limp and inability to bear weight with fever require prompt assessment for infection.
Bone and joint infections and foreign bodies after stepping on glass, thorns or metal are discussed under fractures, dislocations and orthopaedic emergencies. Fever, increasing swelling or inability to bear weight requires prompt assessment.
Other Topics
The topics below also fall within paediatric orthopaedics and are assessed at consultation. Detailed pages are being prepared; meanwhile, ask at your appointment or book by phone or WhatsApp.
- Clubfoot (PEV) and congenital foot differences: serial casting with the Ponseti approach
- Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE): hip pain and limping in adolescents
- Scoliosis: screening, bracing and follow-up, with referral to the relevant specialty when needed
- Knock knees and bow legs — leg deformities in children
- A child unable to bear weight — distinguishing septic arthritis from transient synovitis
- Fractures and dislocations in children — growth plate injuries
Frequently Asked Questions
It covers the period from birth to the end of adolescence, when skeletal growth is complete. Once growth plates close, adult orthopaedic approaches apply.
Pain, limping, frequent falls, refusal to use a limb, a marked difference between sides and loss of a previously possible movement are warning signs. Most painless, symmetrical findings are developmental, but examination makes the distinction.
Growing pains are generally bilateral, occur in the evening or at night, resolve by morning and do not cause a limp. One-sided pain, pain persisting in the morning or pain with swelling, fever or limping falls outside this pattern and needs assessment.
Orthopaedic X-rays use low doses and unnecessary imaging is avoided. Radiation-free ultrasound is preferred for hip assessment in early infancy; X-rays and MRI are requested only when they will affect diagnosis.
For children starting to walk, correctly sized shoes with flexible soles that hold the heel without squeezing the foot are sufficient; walking barefoot indoors is acceptable. Details of shoe and insole selection, including what an in-toeing child needs, are explained on the in-toeing and gait problems in children page.
You can book by telephone or WhatsApp. Previous ultrasound, X-ray and MRI images, a medicines list and, for walking concerns, a short home video help assessment.
The clinic is not a 7/24 emergency department. Sudden inability to bear weight, limping with fever, marked swelling and deformity, an open wound or a cold, blue or numb hand or foot requires calling 112 or attending the nearest hospital emergency department.
Appointments and Contact
Call or contact us on WhatsApp to arrange an appointment. Briefly describe your symptoms; we try to schedule your examination and any necessary imaging on the same day.
- Opening hours
- 08:30–18:00Monday – Saturday
The clinic is not a 24/7 emergency department. For a fracture, dislocation, open wound, or inability to bear weight with fever, call 112 or attend the nearest hospital emergency department.