Ligament injuries in children.

Abstract

Complete disruption of the anterior cruciate ligament in children is becoming increasingly prevalent as children are participating in high-risk athletic activities at younger ages. The activities of children with functional knee-ligament instability are difficult to control, and repeated injuries and secondary meniscal pathology are prevalent in the population. Although it would be preferable to delay surgical intervention until skeletal maturity has been achieved, it is often not feasible to do so because the risk for reinjury frequently outweighs the risks associated with surgical intervention. The major concern with surgical intervention in this age group is how it will affect subsequent growth.