Broken Growth Plate

[stczt]

Ds fell at basketball practice and broke his growth plate in his shoulder. Now he is going to miss the first game and he cant play flag football either. 3 weeks no sports he is going to drive me crazy, help!!
Anyone have any experiance with this? Dh's dad is a dr and told us scary stuff like if it doesnt heal right his arm wont grow and he should never play sports agian, but he is agianst sports compition so I am thinking he said that but I dont know.

 

[MichelleVW]

Breaking a growth plate can be a bad thing....I wouldn't push recovery!

 

[kayeandjim00]

I broke the growth plate in my elbow when I was in 2nd grade. Now granted that was 20 years ago but I remember having surgery twice and I have a GIANT scar on my elbow. I know my parents were told the same thing about my arm not growing properly if it did not heal correctly. Hope your guy is feeling better soon!

 

[PrincessPatty]

I broke the growth plate in my ankle. I remember them saying about not growing properly if not healed. I saw an orthopedic doctor, was casted for I *think* about 8 weeks. It healed fine, although I do have arthritis in my ankle now.

 

[janette]

My 13yo DD shifted a plate in her ankle last May. We have been going to a pediatric orthopedic. They've watched it very closely and I've lost count of the xrays and they've also done a CAT scan. Right now they are still watching, said it looks like one of her bones has stopped growing but not the other. The only solution if there is continued growth on one bone is to do surgery. They did say they would stop growth on both bones and her legs would be a little different length but not enough to be an issue. The growth of one bone and not the other will cause her ankle to curve.

Did they mention return trips to moniter the growth? If not I'd find another specialist that will.

 

[DisneyDeeva]

My son broke his elbow at the growth plate when he was 2 (window fell on his arm). He was casted for 8 weeks, endured six months of PT and was monitored twice a year until he was 18 and finished growing. Same as previous posters - if it didn't heal correctly and one of the two bones stopped growing, his arm would have been permanently curved. He's very athletic and that would have been a disaster.

Take the healing and recovery slow - better to miss a few weeks now to ensure he can continue to play sports for many years to come. JMO

 

[5 for WDW]

My middle son broke the growth plate in his ankle when he was 2. He was in a cast for eight weeks. He is going to be 8 on 12/21 and we are doing the wait and see routine with his Orthopedic surgeon. So far, so good.

I hope your son has a speedy recovery!!

 

[Maraena]

Ds fell at basketball practice and broke his growth plate in his shoulder. Now he is going to miss the first game and he cant play flag football either. 3 weeks no sports he is going to drive me crazy, help!!
Anyone have any experiance with this? Dh's dad is a dr and told us scary stuff like if it doesnt heal right his arm wont grow and he should never play sports agian, but he is agianst sports compition so I am thinking he said that but I dont know.

I broke the growth plate in my left ankle at 11 and then the right one at 12. I'd be really surprised if he's only out of sports for 3 weeks. To be honest, I'd get a second opinion.

Breaking in a growth plate can be a very serious injury. As a result of my two breaks, I developed arthritis at 16. I didn't give either of them enough time to heal and wouldn't listen to my doctors. My parents felt like I was a better judge of the pain and let me go. They failed to account for the fact that I'd often play with sprained ankles, as long as I got to play.

I've been told that it's a miracle that I can still support my weight. My ankles are completely shot at this point and many doctors have recommended surgery. Since I'm not currently insured, I'm holding off until it's absolutely impossible to walk.

Personally, I think it's a very serious injury. Your DH's father may be against competitive sports, but I'd carefully consider if your son is talented enough to risk his body's future performance on amateur sports (i.e. high school athletics) rather than making sure it's completely healed.

 

[Christine]

My son chipped his growth plate in his hip last year at Tae Kwon Do (they called it his ischeal tuberosity ). He stayed out of TKD for 6 weeks and was still sore a little while after.

Then, a few weeks ago he fell on his toe wrong and he has broken the growth plate in his toe.

 

[Mom21]

My dd broke the growth plate in her hand a few months ago. Luckily the piece didn't competely break away or her dr said it would mean surgery. They carefully monitored it with xrays every week for 4 weeks. Then she broke a finger on the same hand 2 weeks later (SIGH) and they were again able to look at it on 2 different xrays for her finger.
Like previous posters have said, it is very important to monitor it. I agree for a shoulder that 3 weeks seems really too short of a time. Please take him to an orthopedic specialist. It really may affect him for the rest of his life.

 

[golfgal]

How old is he? Where in the shoulder--collarbone? Collarbones are thin and usually heal pretty quickly. If it is the end of the arm bone, 3 weeks won't be nearly enough to heal. You really should get him into a good orthopedic doctor to monitor things. It could mean surgery down the road if his arm doesn't grow properly.

 

[snicklette]

My son fell off his skate board Thursday night. We took him yesterday for x-rays and sure enough he fractured his growth plate in his wrist. We're casted for 4 weeks and then we'll see. As others have mentioned careful monitoring seems to be protocol. I hope your son is feeling better.

 

[kellyg403]

I broke the growth plate in my foot, back several years ago in the 70's while riding a skateboard. I was casted for 8 weeks and 2 weeks after broke it again. At the time, the dr said the growth plate can take a long time to heal. Even though the xray's showed it healed it was so easy to break it the next time. I was going to kick my sister and hit the side of my foot on the doorway and thats how it happened the 2nd time. That time I was in the cast for about 16+ weeks as it would not heal and I had to have surgery.

I agree with the others, I would get another opinion on the back in sports in 3 weeks. That does seem to be soon. Also, I also have arthritis in my left foot and though it was monitored for growth and I am a 1/2 shoe size smaller in that foot. Not too much of a hassle for me as there are many people whose feet are somewhat different sizes normally. Just be careful, this is an injury that needs to be taken care of and not take any chances.

Kelly

 

[MareQ]

DD broke a growth plate in her ankle when she was 3(6 now) - she was in a cast for 3 weeks. That was the end of it - she's fine now.

 

[#1hockeymom]

My ds broke his arm in a football game at his growth plate in four places. He had an orthopedic surgeon, but never had the surgery as he said he couldn't make it heal any better than it was. We had weekly casts for quite awhile, then casts every two weeks. He's fine now, despite missing an entire season of hockey last year. Don't rush the healing process!

 

[Kimmumum]

My DS13 broke is finger at the growth plate playing football when he was 11. Everything is fine. No surgery, no cast etc but we continue to get xrays every 6 months to make sure the growth plate isn't closing too early Everything will probably be fine but I would take time recovering!!!

 

[Katie]

MY DS best friend broke his elbow at the growth plate when he was 6. At 12, his left arm is over 2 inchest shorter than his right...yep, his arm stopped growing.

They had to surgical break his arm, put in lengthing rods in his humerus, and turn them daily for 6 months. He missed over 1 year of sports.

He has fully recovered and now is starting on the junior high basketball team.

DO not push a recovery of a growth plate!