It is important to know that most children who develop Perthes disease have been very active and are often very involved in sporting activities. To manage their symptoms it is usually necessary to take them out of competitive and impacting sports for a period of time and this can have a major psychological effect on the child.

Perthes disease does heal and the reason for restricting activities is so that your child will have a better functional hip for sports in the longer term. Giving your child timeframes is very important so that they realise that they will eventually be able to return to the activities they enjoy. It is necessary to explain this to your child's friends, teachers, and coaches.