Growth Plate Injuries

What are they?

Points To Remember About Growth Plate Injuries

• Injuries to the growth plate happen when a break or fracture occurs near or at the end of a long bone.
• Growth plate injuries happen to children and teens.
• Most growth place injuries occur after a sudden accident, such as falling or having a hard hit to the limb.
• Doctor’s test for growth plate injuries by asking about the injury, examining your child, and ordering x-rays.
• Treatment may include using a cast or splint, setting the bones back in place, exercises, and long-term follow up.
• Most growth plate injuries get better and do not cause any lasting problems for your child or teen.

Growth plates are areas of growing tissues that cause the long bones in children and teens to grow. Injuries to the growth plate happen when a break or fracture develops near or at the end of a long bone. The growth plate is the weakest part of the growing skeleton.

Growth plate injuries usually happen at the:

• Bones of the legs.
• Wrist.
• Ankle.
• Foot.
• Hip bone.

When you finish growing, the growth plate closes and are replaced by solid bone.