Table 20.1 Open in new tab Differential... | Oxford Academic

Table 20.1

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Differential diagnosis according to area of lower limb affected

Back	Hip	Femur	Knee	Foot & ankle
Age 0–5yrs
Discitis	Developmental dysplasia of hip, transient synovitis, septic arthritis	Osteomyelitis*	Septic arthritis
Age 5–10yrs
Discitis	Transient synovitis, Perthes’ disease, septic arthritis	Osteomyelitis*	Discoid meniscus, septic arthritis	Kohler’s disease, Freiberg’s disease, tarsal coalition, verruca
Age 10–15yrs
Discitis	Slipped upper femoral epiphysis, septic arthritis	Osteomyelitis*	Osgood–Schlatter’s disease, osteochondritis dessicans, patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia patella	Sever’s disease, tarsal coalition, verruca, in growing toenails

Back	Hip	Femur	Knee	Foot & ankle
Age 0–5yrs
Discitis	Developmental dysplasia of hip, transient synovitis, septic arthritis	Osteomyelitis*	Septic arthritis
Age 5–10yrs
Discitis	Transient synovitis, Perthes’ disease, septic arthritis	Osteomyelitis*	Discoid meniscus, septic arthritis	Kohler’s disease, Freiberg’s disease, tarsal coalition, verruca
Age 10–15yrs
Discitis	Slipped upper femoral epiphysis, septic arthritis	Osteomyelitis*	Osgood–Schlatter’s disease, osteochondritis dessicans, patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia patella	Sever’s disease, tarsal coalition, verruca, in growing toenails

Consider with septic joint.