Many people think of arthritis as a disease for older people, but it also sends nearly 1 million children and teenagers to a doctor's office each year, according to a study.

Sometimes, it starts with an injury.

Jay McKirnan, 17, had been dreaming of swimming in the state finals for years. But his chances were nearly sunk when he was accidentally kicked by an opponent while playing soccer.

"I felt like a little, it was either a tear or a popping sensation. I fell on the ground and I just couldn't get up," McKirnan said.

He had damaged cartilage in his hip, which can lead to arthritis.

Dr. Tom Ellis has a practice at the Ohio State University Medical Center dealing with the condition in people under age 50.

"Some of these kids ultimately have arthritic-like conditions, very similar to adults. The only option in these kids is a hip replacement," he said Ellis.

Doctors can avoid that if the arthritis is caught early. But many parents simply write off joint pain as growing pains. But Ellis said that even though kids are resilient, they will give clues when the pain is too much.

"They continue to sort of complain about the same thing over and over again, and also you'll notice that they stop doing certain activities because they're saying the activity hurts them," said Ellis.

Experts also said growing pains never occur during the daytime. So consistent complaints about joint pain should be checked out.