On the day of her 14th birthday, Millie was driving from South Wales to London with her mum, Vicki, for her long-awaited scoliosis operation. "It was the best birthday present I could ask for," says Millie, who is from Blaenrhondda in the Rhonda Valley, "being given a perfectly straight back."
Growth plate injuries
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Growth plate injuries at HCA UK
Why choose us?
Your child’s growth plates are vital to the healthy development of their bones, so any fractures or injuries need urgent and expert treatment. The Portland is the only private hospital in the UK dedicated to women and children and the only private hospital to offer a low radiation X-ray scanner, which is safer for young people.
Your child will be looked after by some of country’s leading paediatric orthopaedic consultants and surgeons who’ll tailor every aspect of your child’s care to help get them back to their usual activities, as soon as possible.
Your child’s growth plates define the shape and length of their bones. Located near the ends of their bones, they’re made of cartilage. This makes them softer and less mature than the rest of the bone, and more easily broken.
Our experts treat more growth plate fractures or injuries in boys than in girls because their bones mature a little later.
Children’s bones heal very quickly, so if you delay treating a fractured or injured growth plate your child’s injured limb can become permanently crooked or unequal to their opposite limb.
To avoid long-term effects, it’s important that your child is seen by a specialist as soon as possible after their injury so any fractures or other trauma can quickly be assessed.
Your child might have a growth plate fracture or injury if:
- Their limb appears crooked or deformed
- They can’t put pressure on the limb
- The joint area near the end of the bone is swollen, sore and hot
You can make a first diagnosis yourself by simply looking at how tender the area around your child’s growth plate is. If you’re concerned that your child may have injured a growth plate, it’s a good idea to get in touch with our team and get the injury checked by a specialist.
Fingers, forearms and legs are particularly vulnerable to growth plate fractures. These can be caused by a fall or strain from persistent, repetitive use such as a computer keyboard. Higher risk activities such as team sports, gymnastics and skateboarding are also often the culprit.
- Shoulder and elbow: A growth plate injury or fracture might result in sudden pain and cause your child’s shoulder or elbow to quickly swell. For instance, if your child spends a lot of time throwing balls over their shoulder, this can gradually wear the growth plate located there.
- Wrist and fingers: Your child might develop pain in their wrist or fingers or find them hard to move due to a fall or persistent use and repetitive motion. Stopping that activity when the pain begins can often stop the problem from becoming more serious.
- Hip, knee, foot and ankle: If your child has a growth plate fracture or injury to their hip, knee, foot or ankle, they’ll probably find it painful to put any weight on that part of their body, and they may struggle to walk entirely.
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paediatric orthopaedic and spinal specialists
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Appointments confirmed within 24 hours.
State-of-the-art diagnostics
With results in as little as 48 hours.
Treatment for complex conditions
Our complete breadth of expertise, focused on you.
Think your child might have a growth plate injury?
See a paediatric orthopaedic specialist and get an expert diagnosis.
Have a referral and need to book?
If you already have a referral letter for your child, it couldn’t be simpler. You can book a test or treatment directly.
Unsure of a diagnosis and need some answers?
Talk to a paediatric orthopaedic consultant and get the personal care you need.
An accurate diagnosis with fast results
Growth plate injury tests and scans
Your consultant will talk with your child to understand where any pain is located, and they’ll also thoroughly examine the injured limb. They may well order an X-ray to help confirm a diagnosis and classify the type of fracture involved.
Your consultant may also recommend other imaging tests to help them further assess soft tissue damage and advise on the best course of treatment for your child, with results within 48 hours. These diagnostic tests include:
Growth plate injury treatments at HCA UK
Personalised advice and care for your child
We care for over 40,000 babies, children and young people every year, which means we’re able to bring great experience and expertise to help speed your child’s recovery. Your child’s consultant will discuss the latest treatment options with you both and recommend the best approach for their specific needs.
If the fracture is clean, they may suggest a simple cast. This keeps your child’s limb steady and gives it a chance to heal on its own.
If the bone has splintered, surgery may be the best way forward. A surgeon will put bone fragments back in their original place (known as a reduction) and can fix them internally with metal implants. They might also attach a metal brace to the outside of your child’s bone to keep it stable. This brace will be removed once it’s healed.
After surgery, your child will have regular check-ups with their consultant over the following year to ensure that their bones are growing in the right way.
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance for your child to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all of our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And we’ll give you a clear and transparent quote from the start, outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
FAQs
It depends on which bone is fractured and how bad the injury is. It might take as little as a few weeks to heal, or it might take a few months. Your child will have the best chance of recovering quickly if they follow their consultant’s advice.
These injuries can happen in children and teens of all ages, but they’re most common in mid-teens up to the age of 16, and more often seen in boys due to the slower maturing of their bones.
Adults don't have growth plates so as teenagers reach adulthood and stop growing, the chance of your child sustaining this kind of injury greatly reduces.
Yes probably, although to what extent really depends on the how serious the injury is. They may feel anything from very mild discomfort to a more chronic and urgent pain. If you’re worried, it’s always a good idea to get their limb injury checked by a specialist.
The treatment your child’s consultant recommends will depend on their specific needs.
If their fracture is clean, they may simply put a cast on the fracture to keep your child’s limb steady and let it heal on its own. If their bone has splintered, surgery may be the best way forward. Please see the treatment section above for more details.
Yes, it can, although it will likely need a cast to hold it steady while it heals. Your child will have regular check-ups with their consultant to ensure that their bones are healing and growing in the right way.
Our patients' stories
Millie's story – still hula hooping after scoliosis surgery
Rhiannon’s courage: Recovering after scoliosis surgery
Rhiannon was an active 14-year-old girl. When she occasionally complained to her parents about aches and pains in her back, there was no reason to think it was anything more sinister than sore muscles from one of her dance classes, or something she’d pulled while horse riding.
Mimi’s story: Scoliosis surgery at 58 degrees
As 16-year-old Mimi climbed to the top of the giant Slitherine water slide in Dubai’s Atlantis aquaventure park, she had a momentary change of heart. Just three months before, the teenager from Walton on Thames, Surrey, had undergone major back surgery for scoliosis and started the difficult process of recovery. Seconds after her moment of doubt, she was plunging down the slide with her little sister, while their mum Tamara looked on.
“Following our positive experience at The Portland, I have recommended it countless times and couldn’t be happier with the results...”
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This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.