We all want the best for our children and it’s always unsettling seeing them in pain or uncomfortable, especially with a growth plate injury. If you’re looking for an orthopedic pediatrician in Brandon and Tampa, who is well-versed in treating children with growth plate injuries and other orthopedic issues, you can always trust Dr. Bradley at POBAR.

In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know about growth plate injuries in children, the causes, and treatment options. So let’s get down to it.

What Exactly is a Growth Plate?

The growth plate is the area of tissue near the ends of long bones in children and teens that determines the future length and shape of the mature bone. Each long bone has at least two growth plates, one at each end, and they are longer than they are wide.

They allow bones to grow or lengthen until your child reaches full height. Compared to surrounding ligaments and tendons, growth plates are softer and weaker, so they are more vulnerable to injury. As many as one-third of all childhood fractures are growth plate injuries.

How Do Your Children Injure Their Growth Plate & What Could Be the Side Effects?

Now, let’s look more into growth plate injuries and give you an in-depth overview of this injury. We want our children to be active, ride their bikes, practice gymnastics and do all of the activities they love. But when they hurt themselves, as children do, it’s very important to make sure the injury hasn’t affected a growth plate.

If a growth plate injury doesn’t heal properly, it could result in a crooked arm, a leg that is shorter than the other, or another problem that could affect mobility throughout their life. While growth plates can be found in long bones throughout the body, some of the most common injuries occur in the long finger bones and the outer bone of the forearm near the wrist.

Other common injuries occur around the elbow, the knee, and the ankle. It can be caused by trauma from a fall or injury from a competitive sport. It can also be the result of overuse from repetitive activity, such as softball pitching.

Some injuries are acute or sudden – like a fracture after a collision or hard hit –  but many more are chronic, meaning the growth plate gets inflamed over time. Inflammation of a growth plate where a tendon inserts at the bone is called apophysitis.

When Should I Take My Child to The Doctor?

Recognizing a growth plate injury early and treating it appropriately is the best way to minimize damage to the growing bone. Take your children to the doctor if they have any pain, change in mobility, or any visible deformity in one or more of their limbs. 

We bet you want to know how growth plate injury is diagnosed. Dr. Bradley at POBAR will take your child’s medical history and examine your child, checking for warmth or swelling near the joint, and pressing on the injured area to check for tenderness or pain.

The doctor will want to know about any changes in your child’s ability to bend or move a limb and may ask about such symptoms as persistent pain. Because growth plates are not solid bones, both the growth plates and potential fractures will not always show up on X-rays. They do, however, show up as gaps between the shaft and the end of the bone. As a result, an X-ray of the injured limb and the opposite limb might be needed to identify the differences between the two. 

By now you’re probably wondering if you can actually prevent a growth plate injury and help your child avoid the pain and discomfort. Unfortunately, the answer is no, but there are some things young children and young athletes can do to minimize the risk.

Especially during sports, a good stretching routine can help tendons and muscles loosen up and adapt to the growing bone, and good strength training for repeated movements is essential. 

How is a growth plate injury treated?

Treatment will depend on the severity of the injury and the amount of damage caused to the growth plate. The doctor may use a combination of the following approaches:

• A cast or splint to immobilize the injured area and allow it to heal.

• Physical therapy or exercise after a fracture has healed.

• Follow-up imaging.

• Manipulation to move the bones or joints that are out of place back into their correct position.

If the fracture becomes unstable or bone fragments become problematic, surgery may be an option. It may also be used to place bones and joints that are healing improperly back into place. 

Recovery & AfterCare

If you’re wondering how long it takes to recover from a growth plate injury, please continue reading. With proper care, the vast majority of injuries heal without complication. It will typically involve a few weeks or months in a cast depending on the location and severity of the location and the injury.

Now, we know this might be tough for children, especially the active ones, but aftercare is extremely important. It is important to follow the doctor’s instructions and allow full time for healing.

In some complex cases, It may be needed to monitor the injury site until your child is fully grown and the growth plates have been replaced with bone. Dr. Bradley will always ensure that your child’s injury is healing properly and spot any issues that need any testing or further treatment.

Contact an Experienced Orthopedic Pediatric in Brandon and Tampa, FL 

Whether your child needs surgical or non-surgical treatments for growth plate injury, seek help and expert advice from an experienced orthopedic pediatric doctor. 

If you’re looking for the best orthopedic pediatric in Brandon or Tampa FL, get in touch with us at POBAR (Pediatric Orthopedics of Brandon and Riverview). Our staff members are always happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have. 

Remember, early diagnosis and treatment are always better to lead an active life without the interference of pain. Make an Appointment Today! We can make growth plate injury a thing of the past for your child!