Common Paediatric an

Adolescent Musculoskeletal
Disorders and Fractures
6
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: ,

ractures in children
Cavses offractures in children
Common types of fractures in childreen
Complications

The musculoskeletal disorders in childrern and the ado 3 Periosteum is' thick and attached loosely to the
scents oould be basically classified into three catego- cortex, whereas bones are pliable. The bending of
ies the bones rather than breaking occurs (greenstick
i Congenital-since birth fracture) (Fig. 6.1).
. Developmental or acquired during growing period
due to non-traumatic diseases (infective, viral, meta-
bolic diseases)
ii. Traumaticiractures, subluxastion, dislocation, or
due to repetitive microtrauma
Whatever may be the cause earliest possible identi-
fication remains a major factor for the effective man-
agement.
Intactperiosteum- Broken cortex
and cortex
Paediatric orthopaedic surgeon and a paediatric phys-
iotherapist both play a decisive role in the process of
early detection, more so in congenital variety of mus-
culoskeletal diseases.
Total programme of management of such cases is
discussed in detail in the relevant chapters.
Overall common musculoskeletal disorders seen in
children and the adolescents, their salient features, major (A)
principles of management are described in the tabular
form in the following pages.

FRACTURES IN CHILDREN
The fractures in children differ from those in adults due
to bone peculiarities and the pattern of bone
healing.
1. Relative weakness of physis of the
longitudinallyy
growing bone makes them susceptible to epiphyseal
injuries.
2 The periosteum in children bones is attached
loosely
Lo the bone and gets
stripped off easily by the col-
lection of hacmatoma under n. This
haematoma (B)
turns into ezuberant callasa Iypical
characteristic
in children.
Fig. 6.1 Greenstick
fracture.
Greenstick fracture of tibia as (A) Diagrammatic representation, and (B)
seen on
radiograph