What should you know about right Perthes disease?

Perthes disease changes the blood supply to the developing ball at the top of the thigh bone. The ball can become painful and less smoothly shaped while the hip heals. A child may limp, avoid running, or report pain in the hip, groin, thigh, or knee. Limping without a clear injury should be assessed, because children may describe hip problems in another nearby area. The right side being affected does not by itself predict how the hip will develop.

Follow the orthopaedic team’s advice about weight-bearing and activities. Running, jumping, and high-impact play may need restriction during painful or vulnerable stages, while comfortable movement helps prevent stiffness. Paediatric physiotherapy can teach safe range-of-motion exercises and help a child stay active in suitable ways. Keep appointments even when symptoms ease, because hip shape and movement need monitoring as the condition progresses.

Arrange prompt review if a child develops a new or worsening limp, increasing groin or thigh pain, reduced hip movement, night pain, or difficulty bearing weight. Urgent assessment is needed for severe pain with fever, a suddenly unusable leg, or a child who appears acutely unwell. The care plan may change if the hip loses movement or no longer stays well contained in its socket.

Ask which hip movements and activities are safe, how often monitoring is needed, and whether a physiotherapy plan should change at home or school. Ask what signs suggest progression and when an operation such as osteotomy might be considered to improve hip positioning.