Description

A growth plate fracture affects the layer of growing tissue near the ends of the bones of the child. The growth plates are the softest and weakest sections of the skeleton — sometimes even weaker than surrounding ligaments and tendons. An injury that might cause a joint sprain for an adult can cause a growth plate fracture in a child.

The growth plate fractures often need immediate treatment because they can affect how the bone will grow. An improperly treated, the growth plate of the fracture could result in a bone fracture that end up more crooked or less than their limb opposite. With proper treatment, most of the growth plate fractures heal without complications.

Symptoms

Most of the growth plate fractures occur in the bones of the fingers, the forearm and the lower part of the leg. The signs and symptoms of a growth plate fracture may include:

  • The pain and tenderness, particularly in response to the pressure on the growth plate
  • Inability to move the affected area or to put weight or pressure on the limb
  • The heat and the swelling at the end of a bone near a joint

When to see a doctor

If you suspect a fracture, take your child to be examined by a doctor. Also the evaluation of your child if you notice a deformity visible in your child's arms or legs, or if your child is having trouble playing the sport, due to the persistence of the pain.

Causes

Growth plate fractures are often caused by a fall or a blow to the limb, as could occur in:

  • A car accident
  • Competitive sports, such as football, basketball, running, dance, or gymnastics
  • Recreational activities, such as bike rides, sleigh rides, skiing or skating

The growth plate fractures can occasionally be caused by overuse, which can occur during sports training or repetitive of the launch.

Risk factors

The growth plate fractures occur twice as often in boys as in girls, because girls finish growing earlier than boys. By the age of 12 years, most of the girls growth plates have already matured and have been replaced with solid bone.

Complications

Most growth plate fractures heal with no complications. But the following factors can increase the risk of crooked, accelerated or delayed bone growth.

  • The severity of the injury. If the growth plate has shifted, shattered, or crushed, the risk of deformation of the extremities is increased.
  • The age of the child. Young children have more years of growth ahead of them, so if the growth plate is damaged permanently, there are more chances of deformity in the developing world. If a child is almost a fact growing, permanent damage to the growth plate can cause only a minimal deformity.
  • Location of the lesion. The growth plates around the knee are most sensitive to injury. A growth plate fracture in the knee can cause the leg to be shorter, longer, or crooked, if the growth plate has a permanent damage. Growth plate injuries around the wrist and the shoulder usually heal without problems.

Diagnosis

Because the growth plates have not hardened into solid bone, which are difficult to interpret in the x-rays. Doctors may ask for X-rays, both of the injured limb and the limb on the opposite so that they can be compared.

Sometimes a growth plate fracture cannot be seen on x-ray. If the child is gentle on the area of the growth plate, your doctor may recommend a cast or a splint to protect the limb. X-rays are taken back in three to four weeks and, if there is a fracture, new bone healing is usually seen at the time.

To more-serious injuries, scans can visualize the soft tissues — such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound may be ordered.

Treatment

Treatment for growth plate fractures depends on the severity of the fracture. The less severe fractures usually require only a cast or a splint. If the fracture through the growth plate or enters the joint and is not well-aligned, surgery may be necessary. The growth plates that are surgically realigned may have a better chance to recover and grow again, that the growth plates that are left in a bad position.

At the time of the injury, it is difficult to know if a growth plate is a permanent damage. Your doctor may recommend checking the X-rays for several years after the fracture to ensure that the growth plate is growing properly. Depending on the location and severity of the fracture, your child may need follow-up visits until their bones have finished growing.

Preparing for your appointment

If your child is injured, you can go directly to an emergency room or urgent care clinic. Depending on the severity of the fracture, the doctor first examines your child may recommend a consultation with a pediatric orthopedic surgeon.

What you can do

To prepare for your conversation with the doctor, you can write a quick list that includes:

  • The symptoms of his son
  • How the injury occurred
  • Your child's key medical information, including any other medical problems, and the names of all the medications and vitamins that he or she takes
  • Sports or recreational activities in which your child participates regularly
  • Questions you want to ask the doctor

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask:

  • How did the injury happen?
  • Where does it hurt?
  • How much is the damage?
  • Does anything relieve the pain?
  • There was pain in the affected area prior to the injury, such as during sports or recreational activity?
  • What are your concerns about your child to return to sports or play?
  • There has been previous fractures?
The symptoms and the treatment of fractures of the Growth plate