Conditions Treated

Knee Injuries in Children and Adolescents

Significant knee injuries are occurring with increasing frequency in children and adolescents.

Surgical treatment is complicated by the presence of active growth plates in the bones around the knee and the techniques used are modified to minimise the risk of injury to these growth plates.  The emphasis is on repair and reconstruction and the results of surgical treatment are good, although re-injury rates are higher in juveniles than they are in adults.   In young patients who intend to return to competitive sporting activity an an additional reinforcing strap is often added on the outer side of the joint to reduce the risk of subsequent re-injury.

After treating cruciate ligament injuries in children and adolescents we review our patients annually and monitor their growth until maturity.