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The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Knee Growth Plate Injuries in Children (Proximal Tibia)
Proximal tibial physeal injuries are fractures through the growth plate at the top of the shin bone just below the knee in children and adolescents - these are rare but serious injuries (risk of blood vessel damage and leg growth disturbance) typically caused by high-energy trauma like motor vehicle accidents or sports collisions, requiring urgent assessment for arterial injury and usually needing surgical fixation to prevent growth deformity.
📖What is Knee Growth Plate Injuries in Children (Proximal Tibia)?
Proximal tibial physeal injuries are fractures through the growth plate at the top of the shin bone just below the knee in children and adolescents - these are rare but serious injuries (risk of blood vessel damage and leg growth disturbance) typically caused by high-energy trauma like motor vehicle accidents or sports collisions, requiring urgent assessment for arterial injury and usually needing surgical fixation to prevent growth deformity.
🔬What Causes It?
- Motor vehicle accidents (dashboard or direct knee impact—high force displaces growth plate)
- High-velocity sports collisions (football, rugby tackle—knee hyperextension or varus/valgus force)
- Falls from significant height (force transmitted through knee joint)
- Bicycle or motorcycle accidents (handlebar or direct knee trauma)
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Adolescent age 10-16 years (growth plates open but weakening prior to closure—vulnerable period)
- Contact sports participation (football, rugby, basketball—collision risk)
- Motor vehicle occupant (dashboard knee injuries, pedestrian struck by vehicle)
- Male gender (boys 3-4x higher rate due to higher-risk sports and activities)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Motor vehicle safety (proper seatbelt use, age-appropriate car seats reduce dashboard knee injuries in crashes)
- ✓Sports protective equipment (knee pads for contact sports, proper tackling technique to avoid hyperextension)
- ✓Bicycle and motorcycle helmets and protective gear (reduce overall injury severity in crashes)
- ✓Supervision of high-risk activities (trampolines, climbing—reduce fall risk from height)