WHAT'S A GROWTH PLATE AND WHY SHOULD I CARE? - Blog

[Guest Prosoft Admin]

Long bones grow from the ends – at a place called the “growth plate” or in technical terms, the physis.  It’s a cartilagenous area that is weaker than the surrounding bone so it’s susceptible to stresses.  It’s been argued that the growth plate itself is actually weaker than the nearby ligaments that connect the bones together and help keep the joints stable.  It’s an important area because it’s the place where those long bones grow and get their length from.  Eventually during the teen years these growth plates “close” and there is no longer any distinguishable cartilage area within the bone.

The concern for “sprains” in young athletes is that if we accept that the growth plate itself may be weaker than the nearby ligaments then when an athlete sprains their ankle, for example, we might also assume that the nearby growth plate also was injured.  That doesn’t mean that they literally had a growth plate fracture but we’ve got to be careful of thinking of a twisted ankle or knee or wrist as “it’s just a sprain.”  The location of pain and associated tenderness can be an important factor in deciding to what extent the growth plate may need further assessment and potentially some temporary protection - usually by immobilization in a cast or brace or boot of some sort, and if it’s a weightbearing joint then possibly reduced or non-weightbearing status for a little while to optimize healing.

One particular challenge with this cartilage growth plate area is that it’s appearance on standard X-ray films makes it difficult to say with certainty whether there is a fracture there.  When there are definite concerns about the status of the growth plate we always recommend young athletes be seen by their pediatrician or in many cases, better yet, a sports trained orthopedic physician who can properly evaluate the injury and decide if they can safely begin rehabilitation or if some period of protection is needed. 

Once the athlete with a growth plate injury is given the ok we can get them rolling in a safe and proper range of motion and functional strengthening program to help them return to sports as quickly but safely as possible.

Call us at PEAK PERFORMANCE Physical Therapy & Sports Training at 218-0240  if you need help deciding the next step for your injury or are ready to begin the rehab process and need a Physical Therapist who is an expert in functional biomechanics.  We promise to care for you like family and treat you like the pro’s on your way back to the sports you love!