Growth Plate Fractures – Symptoms and Causes
Overview
Growth plate fractures happen in the growing tissue near the ends of children’s bones. These plates are the weakest parts of a child’s skeleton, often more fragile than nearby tendons and ligaments.
What might cause just a sprain in adults can result in a growth plate fracture in children.
Without proper care, the fractured bone might grow crooked or become shorter than the matching limb. Most growth plate fractures heal completely when treated correctly.
Children’s bones are different from adults’ bones, which is why they need specialized care when injured. Medical professionals can identify these fractures and recommend appropriate treatment options to ensure normal bone development continues.
Signs to Look For
Growth plate fractures happen most often in the fingers, forearm, and lower leg bones. If a child has a growth plate fracture, they might show these signs:
- Pain and tenderness, especially when the growth plate area is touched
- Limited movement in the hurt area
- Inability to put weight on the affected limb
- Warmth and swelling near a joint at the end of a bone
Parents should take their child to see a doctor if they suspect a fracture. Medical attention is also important if there’s a visible deformity in the child’s arms or legs, or if the child can’t play sports because of ongoing pain.
Causes
Growth plate fractures typically result from sudden trauma to a limb. Common causes include:
- Car accidents
- Sports injuries during football, basketball, running, dancing, or gymnastics
- Recreational activities like biking, sledding, skiing, or skateboarding
These fractures happen when enough force impacts the growth plate area, damaging the developing tissue. Overuse injuries can also cause growth plate fractures, particularly in children who participate in intensive sports training or repetitive throwing motions.
Risk Factors
Boys experience growth plate fractures twice as often as girls. This difference happens because girls typically complete their growth earlier. By age 12, most girls already have mature growth plates that have turned into solid bone.
Complications
Most growth plate fractures heal completely without problems. However, certain factors can raise the risk of complications that affect bone growth.
These complications may include crooked growth, faster-than-normal growth, or stunted growth. The severity of the injury plays a major role in potential complications.
When a growth plate gets shifted out of place, broken into pieces, or crushed, the chance of the limb growing crooked increases. Simple fractures typically heal better with fewer long-term issues.
Age factors:
- Younger children face greater risks since they have more growing years ahead
- Children near the end of their growth period may only have minor deformities if damage occurs
The location of the injury matters significantly. Growth plates around the knee are particularly sensitive to damage. Injuries in this area can lead to:
- Shortened leg length
- Excessive leg length
- Crooked leg growth
In contrast, growth plate injuries around the wrist and shoulder usually heal without causing long-term problems.
Regular follow-up appointments with healthcare providers are essential after a growth plate injury. Some children may need additional imaging tests during recovery to check how the bone is growing.
In rare cases where complications do develop, treatments might include special braces, physical therapy, or sometimes surgery to correct alignment problems.
