Best Practice Case Studies-Physeal Injuries

Pdf Summary

The systematic review by Caine, DiFiori, and Maffulli, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, examines the frequency and characteristics of growth plate (physeal) injuries in children and youth engaged in organized sports. Physeal injuries, both acute and chronic, are a concern due to their potential to cause growth disturbances and deformities. The review highlights a growing number of stress-related physeal injuries, particularly in sports requiring repetitive physical loading, such as gymnastics and baseball.<br /><br />While acute physeal injuries, often classified by the Salter-Harris system, generally heal with proper treatment, there is a risk of growth impairment if the injury is severe or improperly managed. Chronic injuries, on the other hand, result from repetitive stress and may cause long-term complications like growth arrest.<br /><br />Epidemiological data are limited, but available studies suggest that physeal injuries, although not extremely prevalent, often occur in sports like football, gymnastics, and baseball. The review stresses the increased risk of injuries during periods of rapid growth, potentially due to muscle-tendon imbalances and structural changes in the growth plate.<br /><br />The article calls for improved education of coaches and preventative measures, such as individualized training and monitoring of growth spurts, to mitigate the risk of such injuries. Lastly, it highlights the need for further research to better understand the distribution and determinants of physeal injuries in sports, emphasizing the importance of prospective cohort studies to identify risk factors and effective prevention strategies. Additionally, collaboration among healthcare providers, coaches, and researchers is essential to developing comprehensive prevention and rehabilitation programs for young athletes.

Meta Tag

Edition 3rd Edition

Related Case 3rd Edition, CASE 46

Topic Pediatric Issues

Keywords

3rd Edition, CASE 46

3rd Edition

Pediatric Issues

physeal injuries

growth plate

organized sports

stress-related injuries

Salter-Harris system

growth impairment

epidemiological data

preventative measures

prospective cohort studies

youth athletes