Lower Leg Muscles

The muscular components of the lower leg include the gastrocnemis, soleus, peroneus longus, tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, and the achilles tendon.

Leg Pain (Osgood-Schlatter)

Leg pain in older children or young adolescents can occur for many reasons. An Osgood-Schlatter lesion results from continued trauma to the anterior tibial bone and causes a visible lump below the knee.

Knee Pain

The location of knee pain can help identify the problem. Pain on the front of the knee can be due to bursitis, arthritis, or softening of the patella cartilage as in chrondromalacia patella. Pain on the sides of the knee is commonly related to injuries to the collateral ligaments, arthritis, or tears to the meniscuses. Pain in the back of the knee can be caused by arthritis or cysts, known as Baker's cysts. Baker's cysts are an accumulation of joint fluid (synovial fluid) that forms behind the knee. Overall knee pain can be due to bursitis, arthritis, tears in the ligaments, osteoarthritis of the joint, or infection.

Instability, or giving way, is also another common knee problem. Instability is usually associated with damage or problems with the meniscuses, collateral ligaments, or patella tracking.