There are injuries and conditions that only affect children and adolescents such as bony avulsion injuries, growth plate injuries and apophysitis (inflammation on or around growth plates).

 

There are a number of causes for this including:

• Growth spurts change the body shape and size which increase the forces across bones and joints making them more susceptible to injuries

• Poor sports training / technique or inadequate practice and insufficient warm-up exercises before sport.

 

During your appointment you can expect the following:

 

• History taking where you will be asked several questions related to your child or adolescents' pain or injury. The type of questions you can expect during this consultation include:

- History of the pain, including location, severity, referred pain, things that make the pain worse or better.

- Previous related injuries

- Sporting activities

- Past medical history including any medications

- Previous treatments

 

• A physical examination of your child’s painful region as well as other areas of the body if indicated.

• If needed to help reach a diagnosis, investigations may be required such as x-rays, MRIs or blood tests. 

• A diagnosis with explanation in laymans terms (non-medical language that is easy to understand)

• A management plan will then be developed in conjunction with the patient. Management may consist of:

- education of the condition and why it occurred

- advice on what to do and what to avoid making the condition worse

- exercise programs

- injections

- return to sport or activity programs

- if required referral to another health professional (physio, exercise physiologist)

 

Below is a list of some of the common conditions seen in children and adolescents:

• Sever’s disease (heel pain)

• Osgood Schlatter’s disease (knee pain)

• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (groin/hip pain)

• Pars defect (back)