ACL and Meniscus Tears in Kids "Increased Dramatically" Over the Past Decade
BY LAUREN UZDIENSKI, OCTOBER 24, 2011
Orthopedic surgeons from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia presented data about pediatric knee injuries at last week's American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting, and the results demonstrated new trends in sports medicine: pediatric ACL and meniscal tears have "increased dramatically" over the prior twelve years. Notably, tibial spine fractures, or the bone where the ACL attaches, remained flat over the same time period, indicating a shift in injury patterns.
For several years, anecdotal evidence has suggested that pediatric ACL diagnoses are on the rise. This has been attributed to improvements in imaging and more sensitivity to the injuries by orthopedic specialists. The CHOP data confirms this hypothesis as well as addresses the absolute injury rate. Between January 1999 and January 2011, while tibial spine fractures increased by only 1% annually, ACL and meniscus tears increased by 11% and 14%, respectively. Study author J. Todd Lawrence states, "Since tibial spine fractures were once thought to be the pediatric equivalent of an ACL tear, this continued rise in ACL tears in children suggests that injury patterns are changing and that the true incidence of these injuries is increasing."
Treatment of pediatric ACL injuries has been contentious, given that surgical repair has the potential to damage the growth plate. However, surgery may also help the patient avoid further injury, including secondary meniscal injuries, degenerative joint disease and joint instability. The CHOP physicians say they hope their study will generate support for ongoing research to identify pediatric and adolescent athletes at risk for knee injuries as well as encourage adoption of injury-prevention programs.
