The uniqueness of the young athlete: musculoskeletal injuries.

There is considerable difference in the management of musculoskeletal injuries in the pediatric athlete. The biomechanical characteristics of the growing bone react differently to applied stresses. Plastic deformation, green-stick, torus, and epiphyseal fractures are types seen only in the pediatric age group. The pediatric athlete fortunately has a much greater remodeling capacity, thus, altering the approach to the treatment of injuries. An understanding of the different types of injuries in the skeletally immature athlete is essential for those treating this age group.