Specialist children’s physios

CHILDREN and adolescents are susceptible to different injuries to adults due to their growing bodies and therefore you need physiotherapists that have received specialist training in this area. This topic is not covered in undergraduate physio training.

Physiolistic is unique in that all our physio staff undertake specialist postgraduate training in sporting children’s and adolescent injuries.

A child who has persistent pain, or pain that affects athletic performance or the ability to move and put pressure on a limb, should never be allowed or expected to “work through the pain”.

Whether an injury is acute or due to overuse, it should be evaluated, because some injuries, if left untreated, can cause permanent damage and interfere with proper growth of the involved limb.

The growth plate is the area of growing tissue near the ends of the long bone. The growth plate determines the future length and shape of the mature bone.



Because the growth plates are the weakest areas of the growing skeleton — even weaker than the nearby ligaments and tendons that connect bones to other bones and muscles — they are vulnerable to injury.

Growth plate injuries can occur in growing children and adolescents.

In a child, a serious injury to a joint is more likely to damage a growth plate than the ligaments that stabilise the joint. Trauma that would cause a sprain in an adult might cause a growth plate injury in a child. Injuries can result from a single traumatic event, such as a fall or automobile accident, or from chronic stress and overuse.

One-third of all growth plate injuries occur in competitive sports such as football, basketball, or gymnastics, while about 20 per cent occur as a result of recreational activities such as biking, sledding, skiing, or skateboarding.

Common injuries are Osgood-Schlatter disease (knee) and Sever’s disease (heel). Although these injuries can be self limiting, they result in the child needing to stop sport or developing an aversion to exercise.

They also result in the body compensating for the pain and the child can often adopt incorrect movement patterns. These incorrect movement patterns can lead to pain and problems later in life.

Our specialist physios also have access to diagnostic ultrasound to further confirm your diagnosis.

Call us on (01491) 598043 or email info@physiolistic.co.uk today for an appointment or some advice.