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Pediatric Spine Trauma and Sports-Related Injuries in the Growing Spine

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The Growing Spine

Abstract

Pediatric spine trauma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The unique features of the young pediatric spine lead to specific injury patterns and differentiate these injuries from those of adolescent and adult patients. Increased ligamentous laxity, horizontal orientation of vertebral facets, wedge-shaped vertebral bodies, and underdeveloped paraspinal muscles in the immature spine result in a relatively high incidence of cervical spine injuries. Common pediatric spine injuries include odontoid and upper cervical spine fractures, spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormalities (SCIWORA), atlantoaxial instability, compression fractures, thoracolumbar burst fractures, and flexion-distraction injuries. Pediatric spine injuries are commonly associated with high-energy trauma. Therefore, a high level of suspicion is necessary for concomitant thoracic or abdominal injuries. The management of pediatric spine trauma should take into consideration not only the unique anatomy of the pediatric spine but also the growth potential of this patient population.

In addition to high energy trauma, sports-related injuries are a common cause of back pain and spinal injury in the growing athlete. It is essential to understand common etiologies of back pain and radiculopathy in pediatric and adolescent athletes. We also review on-field management of injuries, physical examination, imaging studies, and current evidence for both treatment and return to play. As with all injuries in the pediatric population, prevention is of utmost importance with special attention given to proper use of seatbelts and child safety as well as use of appropriate sporting equipment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, University at Buffalo – Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Emmanouil Grigoriou

  2. Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

    R. Justin Mistovich

  3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Keith D. Baldwin

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Newtown Square, PA, USA

    John Paul Dormans

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  1. Emmanouil Grigoriou
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  2. R. Justin Mistovich
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  3. Keith D. Baldwin
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  4. John Paul Dormans
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Behrooz A. Akbarnia

  2. Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    George H. Thompson

  3. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey

    Muharrem Yazici

  4. IWK Health Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Ron El-Hawary

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Grigoriou, E., Mistovich, R.J., Baldwin, K.D., Dormans, J.P. (2022). Pediatric Spine Trauma and Sports-Related Injuries in the Growing Spine. In: Akbarnia, B.A., Thompson, G.H., Yazici, M., El-Hawary, R. (eds) The Growing Spine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84393-9_23

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