High-intensity sports and play can cause fractures in children

Forearm fractures are responsible for up to 50 percent of all fractures in children

United Arab Emirates, Dubai, 19th December 2018:   In an age that is dominated by screens and video games, parents generally encourage children to play outdoors to build upper body strength, balance and resilience. However, engaging in vigorous physical activities may lead to fall which can break a bone. Broken bones or fractures are common in childhood, with up to 40 percent of girls and as many as 50 percent of boys experiencing a fracture. In the UAE, there are several paediatric fractures recorded annually. 

“Injuries caused by sports and high-intensity physical play are the common factors that lead to a fracture. Basketball, soccer, gymnastics, lacrosse, hockey and football are some of the common sports that can cause injuries. In the past five years, there have been several play and sport related emergencies at Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery, with most of them falling under the 5-9-year-old age group,” said Dr Arkan Harb Alhuneiti, Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic & Spine Surgeon - Specialising in Paediatric Spine, Hip Surgery and Limb Lengthening at Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery (BHAS).

Dr Arkan is an MBBS, Jordan Board Certified specialist, holding a Fellowship from Canada and an American Fellowship in Spine Research from Europe Spine Surgery. Specialising in paediatric orthopaedic, Dr Arkan has a huge experience in the diagnosis and treatment of all orthopaedic cases. He has worked as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Jordan and Saudi Arabia and has performed over 1000 surgeries. His key expertise includes areas a paediatric spine deformity, scoliosis, developmental dysplasia of the hip, complex corrective osteotomy’s for paediatric deformity. paediatric trauma, cerebral palsy management and management of paediatric fractures.

“Fractures in children are caused when more force is applied to the bone than the bone can absorb. Breaks in bones can occur from falls, trauma, or as a result of a direct blow or kick to the body. As a child’s bone heals faster than an adult’s bone, healing occurs faster. It is however recommended to treat a fracture correctly to make sure children don’t run into problems down the road,” added Dr Arkan.

Forearm fractures are the most common fractures in children, responsible for up to 50 percent of all fractures, and are much more common than leg fractures.  Other common fracture locations include the distal radius, elbow, clavicle and tibial shaft. While each child may experience a fracture differently, the most common symptoms are pain and swelling in the injured area, deformity in and warmth, bruising, or redness in the injured area.

Fractures in children can heal well if the child is young and doesn’t have a medical history. But, since young bones are fragile and growing, a fracture can cause problems as the child grows. As such some fractures require surgery to stabilize growing bones, while others can be treated with immobilization or casting. At Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery, doctors determine a child’s treatment based on the extent of the fracture and child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies. The ultimate goal of treatment is to control the pain, promote healing, prevent complications and restore normal use of the fractured area.