[Epiphyseal injuries of the lower extremity in sports]

Sports-related epiphyseal injuries have been becoming more prevalent during the last years. We are reporting 85 patients with epiphyseal fractures of the lower extremity treated in our hospital during the last twenty years. The injuries were sustained during soccer in 28% and during alpine skiing in 26% of the cases, of which the former was responsible for most of the injuries reported in males and the latter for those in females. The most frequently seen localization was the upper ankle joint (48 cases), followed by the proximal tibial (15 cases) and the distal femoral epiphysis (10). Of the patients, 56% were treated surgically, while conservative treatment was chosen for 44% of the patients. Of the 49 patients available for follow-up complications were documented in 10 cases, including 3 leg length discrepancies, 5 axis deviations, one avascular necrosis of the femoral head and one case of osteomyelitis, of which 6 required operative surgery.