Growth plates, also known as epiphyseal plates, are soft points on the end of a child's bone that will eventually form solid bone as your child matures. Growing bones each have one growth plate at either end. The cartilaginous cells transform into hardened bone cells, extending the bone: this is how bones grow.
A possible injury to the growth plate needs to be evaluated by a specialist right away. The growth plate is the weakest point in the bone, and if it is fractured and left untreated, a growth plate injury could stunt bone growth.
Dr. Bob Baravaria DPM, FACFAS is a Board-Certified Podiatric Foot and Ankle Specialist. He is an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA School of Medicine and serves as Director of University Foot and Ankle Institute.
Dr. Baravarian has been involved in athletics his entire life and played competitive tennis in high school and college. He has an interest in sports medicine, arthritis therapy, and trauma/reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle. He is also fluent in five languages (English, French, Spanish, Farsi, and Hebrew),