Athletic physeal injury in children and adolescents

Physeal injuries occur in 15% of children with fractures, and 10% of all physeal injuries are sport related. Soccer, alpine skiing, gymnastics, weight lifting and baseball are sports commonly associated with physeal injury. Swelling, hyperemia, and deformity in the physeal area are the classical signs of physeal injury. Pain may be less intense than with other fractures. Treatment usually includes immobilization. Growth disturbance depends on extent of the injury and the amount of remaining growth potential. Prevention should focus on sport participation within the parameters of ability, maturation, and use of proper equipment.