What are the Symptoms of Perthes Disease and How is the Treatment?

Perthes disease, an orthopedic problem that occurs in childhood and is detected in the hip region, is also known as Legg-Calvé-Perthes in the medical literature.

Let’s see what is Perthes disease, how are the symptoms and treatment? We explained all the details.

What is Perthes disease?

Perthes is a hip disease that manifests itself in childhood. It develops due to the cessation of blood flow in the bone area called the femoral head at the top of the thigh for a while. In this case, the problem of the death of bone tissue comes into question.

Perthes is not a very common disease. It can be seen in approximately one in every 10,000 children. It is usually seen in one thigh, but there may be some conditions that can be seen in both thighs.

It is mostly seen between the ages of 4-10, but it is also possible to be seen between the ages of 1.5-15 years. Mostly seen in boys

What are the symptoms of Perthes disease?

Perthes may not be perceived as a problem at first, as it will show very mild symptoms. It may present with mild knee and hip pain at first. Apart from this, those with Perthes disease;

• swelling in the legs,
• strength in the joints,
• limping in legs,
• leg thinning,
• They may experience symptoms such as short legs.

What are the causes of Pertes disease?

The cause of this condition is not known exactly, but some conditions that increase the risk of disease are;

• hyperactivity,
• Coagulation disorders in the body,
• petite body type,
• Calcium and phosphorus deficiencies
• Injuries and various injuries to the hip bone,
• Genetic,
• The child’s presence in smoking environments,
• low birth weight,
• male gender.

How is Perthes disease diagnosed?

When the above symptoms are seen, a pediatric orthopedist should be consulted and a detailed examination should be performed. In the examination, the patient’s history, physical examination and radiological analyzes are evaluated together. Methods such as MRI and tomography are often preferred. With these methods, the diagnosis can be made clearly.

How is Perthes disease treated?

The treatment of Perthes disease is actually individual. Generally, however, the goal is to preserve joint clearance and maintain the ovality of the femoral head. For this, if necessary, surgical applications can be made. Physical therapy methods are also one of the most preferred methods in Perthes disease.

If the disease is not very advanced and the child’s age is under 6, regular follow-up and movement restrictions may be treated. It is recommended that the child do sports, rest often and not get tired. If the pain is intense, drug therapy is also added.

In both cases, your child should be followed regularly until bone development ends. If the progression of the disease is stopped, the child can continue his life without any problems after the bone development is completed. However, those with a history of Perthes disease are more likely to encounter calcification problems after their 50s.

Foods that are good for Perthes disease

There is no pinpoint information about nutrition in Perthes disease. However, consumption of calcium-rich foods may be beneficial for the course of the disease.

• Consuming dairy products
• Oily seeds,
• Soy and soy-containing foods,
• green leafy vegetables,
• Tahini-molasses,
• Foods like whole wheat flour are rich in calcium.