# Pictorial Review of Paediatric Limp

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the causes and diagnosis of limps in children, focusing on imaging and age-specific differences.

## Contribution

The paper provides a pictorial and comprehensive review of both common and rare causes of limps in different pediatric age groups.

## Key findings

- Imaging is crucial for diagnosing the underlying causes of limps in children.
- Age-specific causes of limps vary significantly, requiring tailored diagnostic approaches.
- A thorough history and physical exam are essential alongside imaging for accurate diagnosis.

## Abstract

A limp is an abnormal, uneven or laboured gait typically resulting from pain, weakness, or structural deformity involving the hip, lower limb, spine or abdominopelvic abnormalities. Limps in children are common and have diverse causes that can be benign to life-threatening including trauma, congenital malformations, and neoplastic diseases. Diagnosis involves identifying gait abnormality thoroughly examining history and physical exam, assessing tenderness and range of motion, and completing targeted lab and radiographic studies. We present an imaging review of various usual and unusual causes of limp in different age groups such as in toddlers (1–3 years), children (4–10 years), and adolescents (11–16 years) with a comprehensive literature review.