How long does a fractured finger growth plate take to heal?

Your child will have to wear a cast until the bones heal. This can take from a few weeks to 2 months or more.

What is the treatment for a fractured growth plate?

Growth Plate Fracture Treatment Growth plate fractures are generally treated with splints or casts. Sometimes, the bone may need to be put back in place to allow it to heal in the correct position. This may be done before or after the cast is placed and is called a closed reduction.

Do you need surgery for a fractured growth plate?

If the bone fragments are displaced and the fracture is unstable, surgery may be necessary. The most common operation used to treat fractures is called open reduction and internal fixation. This Type III fracture of the femur goes through the growth plate and down into the knee joint. The fracture is fixed with screws.

Can growth plate fractures in hand be treated?

What Are Growth Plate Fractures Treated? Often, a growth plate fracture may be mild and need only rest and a cast or splint. But if bones are out of place (or displaced), they have to be put back into the right position with a procedure called a reduction. A reduction is also called “setting the bone.”

What happens if you fracture a growth plate?

(Other injuries, such as sprains, can also damage growth plates.) If the growth plate is damaged by a fracture or another injury, the bone may stop growing. This serious problem is called a growth arrest. Growth arrest can permanently stop a bone’s development and change how it functions.

Can a growth plate be mistaken for a fracture?

The symptoms of a growth plate injury may be similar to those of a sprain, a pulled muscle, or a broken bone, and so doctors usually recommend an X-ray to get a better sense of the cause of your child’s symptoms.

How do doctors check growth plates?

Pediatric orthopedic surgeons can estimate when growth will be completed by determining a child’s “bone age.” They do this by taking an x-ray of the left hand and wrist to see which growth plates are still open. The bone age may be different from the child’s actual age.

What does a growth plate fracture feel like?

Signs and symptoms of a growth plate fracture may include: 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.

What age do growth plates close?

Growth plates usually close near the end of puberty. For girls, this usually is when they’re 13–15; for boys, it’s when they’re 15–17.