How long does a fractured growth plate take to heal?
Typically, it takes several weeks for a growth plate to fully heal. Your orthopedic physician or physical therapist will likely recommend special physical therapy exercises and stretches to promote further healing.
Are Salter-Harris fractures painful?
Signs and symptoms of a Salter-Harris fracture will often begin with pain, followed by swelling around the end of the injured long bone. The area around the fracture may also feel painful to touch. A person with a fracture may not be able to put weight on the affected limb or may have a limited range of motion.
What is the most common Salter-Harris fracture?
In general, upper extremity injuries are more common than lower-extremity injuries. Of the five most common Salter-Harris fracture types, type II is the most common (75%) followed by types III (10%), IV (10%), type I (5%), and lastly, type V which is very rare.
Can you walk on a fractured growth plate?
Symptoms include ankle pain, tenderness and swelling over the area where the growth plate is located. Treatment usually involves about four to six weeks in a walking boot. After that, it may take another two weeks to regain strength in the ankle before a child can return to running, jumping and sports.
Do growth plate fractures heal faster?
Your child’s age also matters: younger patients heal faster than older patients. If the fracture was manipulated (reduced), you will need to follow up with your child’s orthopaedic specialist more frequently. The fracture must be closely monitored after it’s healed to make sure the bone continues to grow normally.
How long does it take for a Salter-Harris Type 3 fracture to heal?
Usually, these fractures heal in four to six weeks. The length of time the injury remains immobilized in a cast or sling depends on the particular injury. Your child may need crutches to get around, if the injured limb shouldn’t be weight-bearing while it’s healing.
How do you manage a Salter-Harris fracture?
Usually, types 1 and 2 are simpler and don’t require surgery. The doctor will put the affected bone in a cast, splint, or sling to keep it in the right place and protect it while it heals. Sometimes these fractures may require nonsurgical realignment of the bone, a process called closed reduction.
How painful is a fractured growth plate?
A growth plate fracture usually causes persistent pain. Other common symptoms include: Visible deformity, such as a crooked appearance of the limb. An inability to move or put pressure on the limb.
Are growth plate injuries serious?
Most growth plate fractures heal with no complications. But the following factors can increase the risk of crooked, accelerated or stunted bone growth. Severity of the injury. If the growth plate has been shifted, shattered or crushed, the risk of limb deformity is greater.
Do growth plates hurt when they close?
Pain and tenderness, particularly in response to pressure on the growth plate. Inability to move the affected area or to put weight or pressure on the limb. Warmth and swelling at the end of a bone, near a joint.