Effects of Growth

Children’s tendons and ligaments are generally stronger than the part of the bone they insert into. With trauma therefore it is more likely that the bone will be damaged before the tendon or ligament.

During growth spurts a child’s musculoskeletal system is at its most vulnerable as the imbalances of strength and flexibility and the changes which will be occurring in the bones, will be at their maximum.

Repetitive stresses which occur at this time can give syndromes such as Osgood- Schlatter’s, Sinding-Larson and Seiver’s. Although these occur in different places in the body, their mechanism of injury is similar.