Common orthopaedic injuries in young athletes

SummaryAs participation in sports continues to grow, it is important that primary care physicians become well informed about the management of the most common injuries encountered in their practices. Approximately 30 million young people participate in formal athletic programs in the USA and many millions more throughout the world. Injuries treated in emergency departments are near the top of the ‘injury pyramid’ but the estimate for actual number of injuries sustained by children in sports is thought to be five times the number of emergency department visits with many children seeking care from their primary care physicians. Young athletes are at risk for a number of acute and chronic injuries due to their skeletal maturity, size, developmental stage, coordination, and relative lack of flexibility. Unique to children are injuries to the growth plates. The primary care physician can help the child athlete to heal quickly and resume sport when the physician understands the pathophysiology of the injuries and the necessary treatment regimens.