Helpful tips

What happens if you fracture your growth plate in your ankle?

What happens if you fracture your growth plate in your ankle?

Common symptoms include: Pain, swelling and tenderness. Bruising and misshaped appearance. Inability to bear weight.

What happens if a child breaks a bone at the growth plate?

If a fracture goes through a growth plate, it can result in a shorter or crooked limb. A growth plate fracture affects the layer of growing tissue near the ends of a child’s bones. Growth plates are the softest and weakest sections of the skeleton — sometimes even weaker than surrounding ligaments and tendons.

How long does a growth plate fracture take to heal?

With proper care, the vast majority of growth plate injuries heal without complication. This will typically involve a few weeks or months in a cast, depending on the location and severity of the injury.

Does breaking your ankle stunt your growth?

If the growth plate is damaged by a fracture or another injury, the bone may stop growing. This serious problem is called a growth arrest.

How is a growth plate fracture treated?

Growth plate fractures are generally treated with splints or casts. Sometimes, the bone may need to be put back in place to allow it to heal in the correct position. This may be done before or after the cast is placed and is called a closed reduction.

When do ankle growth plates fuse?

When Do Growth Plates Close? Growth plates usually close near the end of puberty. For girls, this usually is when they’re 13–15; for boys, it’s when they’re 15–17.

Do growth plate fractures require surgery?

The fracture must be closely monitored after it’s healed to make sure the bone continues to grow normally. Some growth plate fractures require surgery to ensure the growth plate is optimally aligned for normal growth of that bone. The surgery is called open reduction and internal fixation.

What age do ankle growth plates close?

When do ankle growth plates close?

Growth plates usually close near the end of puberty. For girls, this usually is when they’re 13–15; for boys, it’s when they’re 15–17.

What happens if you break the growth plate in your foot?

Most growth plate fractures heal and do not affect future bone growth. However, sometimes changes in the growth plate from the fracture can cause problems later. For example, the bone could end up a little crooked or slightly longer or shorter than expected.