Fractures are common in children, occurring at a rate of 12 to 30 per 1000 children every year. The risk of sustaining a fracture between birth and 16 years of age has been reported to be 42% to 64% for boys and 27% to 40% for girls. Children and adolescents, because of their unique physiologic features, such as the presence of physes, increased elasticity of bone and other connective tissue structures, as well as decreased motor control and greater head-to-body weight ratio in younger children, have different patterns of fractures than adults. Although most fractures in children heal well without long-term complications, certain fractures, especially those involving the physis and articular surface, have the potential to cause significant morbidity.
