There are many challenges facing the sports physician in the care of the spine in pediatric athletes. They may be asked to evaluate a child or adolescent with a known condition and assess whether he or she can safely participate…
The incidence of sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) has continued to increase during the past decade. The two most common athletic activities associated with emergency department treatment for TBI are bicycling and football. Risk for TBI is inherent…
Most of the injuries that occur in the ankle and foot of the pediatric athlete are not unique to athletic participation but occur normally during childhood. However, some injuries occur with greater frequency in the athlete. The conditions covered in…
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in skeletally immature athletes were traditionally thought to be rare. Historically, the incidence of ACL rupture in this population was reported as 1% to 3.4%. Avulsion of the tibial…
Almost a decade ago it was estimated that over 30 million children participated in organized sports programs, with a third of them suffering an injury yearly that required evaluation by a nurse or physician. There are physical and physiologic differences…
The incidence of hand injuries increases 20-fold after age 10, with sports being the most common mechanism of injury. High impact sports such as football tend to produce injuries from single traumatic events, whereas repetitive overuse injuries are more common…
Relevant Anatomy and Biomechanics Osteology Skeletal growth around the elbow typically follows a characteristic development process. The elbow joint consists of the articulation of the distal humerus with the ulna (the ulnohumeral joint), the articulation of the distal humerus with…
Anatomy Skeletally immature bone contains growth plates, or physes, that represent the primary site of longitudinal bone growth. This area of rapidly growing cartilage transitions to bone by a process called endochondral ossification. Due to the nature of this rapid…
An increasing number of injuries are being seen in young, skeletally immature patients, which may be due to a decrease in free play combined with an increase in participation in competitive organized sports, sport specialization, and a general lack of…
Sports injuries in pediatric and adolescent athletes are being seen with increasing frequency, due to a variety of factors, including increased participation in higher levels of intensity and competition at younger ages, increased recognition of injuries in this age group,…