Sports Injuries & Injuries Due to Accidental Trauma

The upper extremity, including fingers, wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder, is the most common location for physical injuries during childhood. Sometimes these involve broken bones which require fixation with wires or screws. Other times the injury occurs to tendons or nerves, such as during a cut. Displaced fractures, which have bones that are moved out of position, should be evaluated by a surgeon within the first 7 days to determine whether they should be re-set, casted, and/or operated upon. 

Sports Related Injuries 

These are often related to overuse and can take a long time to recover. One example is osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow, which occurs when one part of the joint is constantly impacted during high velocity overhead throws, leading to softening of the cartilage and resultant pain. More commonly, young athletes can suffer from tendonitis, growth plate stress fractures, ligament tears, and joint dislocations.