Musculoskeletal Infections

What are musculoskeletal infections?

If an infection impacts a child’s muscles, bones or joints, it’s known as a musculoskeletal infection. There are a variety of different types and can spread quickly once they occur.

  • Types of musculoskeletal infections:
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Myositis
  • Pyomyositis
  • Septic Arthritis
  • Abscess


What causes musculoskeletal infections?

In most cases, musculoskeletal infections are caused by bacteria.


What are the symptoms of musculoskeletal infections?

Difficulty moving the arm or leg, trouble putting weight on a leg, fever, pain and swelling are all potential symptoms of musculoskeletal infections.


How are the musculoskeletal infections evaluated?

Doctor will do examination moving the joints gently. You may get laboratory tests and imagery such as x-rays, ultrasounds, or bone MRI.


What are musculoskeletal infection care options?

Antibiotics to rid the body of infection are the primary treatment for musculoskeletal infections. Sometime course of treatment can be as long as 6 weeks. In some cases, surgery is needed to remove infected material from the body. Most patients do well but long term sequelae are possible even after treating infection initially. Which may require additional surgical procedures.


Reviewed by: Monica Payares, MD

This page was last updated on: March 20, 2019 04:12 PM