Addressing Growth Plate Injuries in Young Athletes

I’ve been seeing an uptick in growth plate injuries this season, especially among our middle school athletes. It’s crucial to educate parents and coaches on these injuries, as they can affect long-term development if not managed properly. Has anyone found effective ways to communicate these risks to families?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌‍‌​‌‌​​​⁠​​‌‌​​‌‍⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠​⁠‍​‌​‌‍​⁠​​‌​⁠‌‌‌​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‍‍‌​⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

This drives me nuts too. It’s so important to get parents and coaches to understand that growth plate injuries can have lasting effects. I’ve had success using visual aids at meetings to explain the risks clearly.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‍‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‌‍​‍‌‌​‌‌⁠​⁠​⁠​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌​‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​‍⁠‌‌​‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I’ve found that having one-on-one talks with parents right after their kids’ games really helps; it shows them how serious these injuries can be. Using visuals, like the growth plate diagram, could drive the point home, too — @t_gibson23, any specific visuals you recommend?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​‍‌⁠‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌​‌⁠‌⁠‌‍‍​‌​⁠​‌‍‍​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌⁠​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌⁠​‍‌​‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌