The feet have growth plates on the long bones and are areas of growing tissue. Each long bone has 2 growth plates, one on either side, which enable the bone to grow. When a person is done growing, the growth plates close and are replaced by solid bone.
As you may be able to imagine, growth plates are weak and when the plates are injured, it’s called a fracture.
Fracturing a growth plate can happen when a child falls or from overuse of the feet and ankles in sports. Besides those normal situations that every child may face, growth plate injuries can occur from child abuse, bone infections, metabolic diseases, and some steroid medications.
Growth plate injuries need to be taken seriously and children should never work through the pain. Take a child to see a Podiatrist if the child experiences pain or can’t move their foot. An X-Ray will determine what type of fracture has occurred. If it is a growth plate facture, a cast or splint is a normal course of treatment, but there are occasions when surgery is needed. Those that have had growth plate fractures in the past should periodically exercise the foot and ankle and follow up with their Podiatrist regularly to make sure it healed properly. If a growth plate is fractured and not taken care of, it can result in the growth plate to stop growing with an end result of two different sized feet.
As you may be able to imagine, growth plates are weak and when the plates are injured, it’s called a fracture.
Fracturing a growth plate can happen when a child falls or from overuse of the feet and ankles in sports. Besides those normal situations that every child may face, growth plate injuries can occur from child abuse, bone infections, metabolic diseases, and some steroid medications.
Growth plate injuries need to be taken seriously and children should never work through the pain. Take a child to see a Podiatrist if the child experiences pain or can’t move their foot. An X-Ray will determine what type of fracture has occurred. If it is a growth plate facture, a cast or splint is a normal course of treatment, but there are occasions when surgery is needed. Those that have had growth plate fractures in the past should periodically exercise the foot and ankle and follow up with their Podiatrist regularly to make sure it healed properly. If a growth plate is fractured and not taken care of, it can result in the growth plate to stop growing with an end result of two different sized feet.
Image Citation:
Image by aussiegall. Flickr. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/364313299/
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