title: Focal Myositis in paediatric age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Focal Myositis is a rare pseudotumor of unknown aetiology that is often difficult to diagnose and treat. Typically afflicting people in adulthood, it has occasionally been reported also among children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  the aim of this study is to review the literature of Focal Myositis in paediatric age in order to compare the clinical manifestation and the various treatment suggested by different authors.
  
  
  METHODS
  this article describes a 6-year-old boy with focal myositis in gracilis muscle successfully treated by conservative methods, including nocturnal leg traction, intensive physiokinesi therapy and articulated knee orthosis guided to progressive extension. Furthermore a systematic review of literature concerning focal myositis in paediatric age is reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  our case and the review of literature suggests that conservative methods should be the first-choice treatment for FM in paediatric age and that surgery should be strictly reserved for selected cases where non-invasive methods have previously failed.
authors: Paediatric Orthopaedic Unit, Padua General Hospital, Italy.
authors: Cosimo
authors: C
authors: Gigante
authors: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Clinic University of Padua, Padua Hospital, Italy.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Corradin
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
authors: Rita
authors: R
authors: Alaggio
keywords: Focal Myositis; hamstring; paediatric age