Pediatric Orthopaedic Conditions: Diagnosis and Treatment in Milan

Pes Planus (Flatfoot)

Flat feet in young children are usually a normal developmental variant. Assessment criteria and when orthotics may help.

Tarsal Coalition

Foot pain and hindfoot rigidity in a sporty adolescent can point to a tarsal coalition: how it is diagnosed and treated.

Juvenile Hallux Valgus

Juvenile hallux valgus needs monitoring over time: the choice between observation and surgery depends on severity, symptoms and skeletal maturity.

Genu Valgum & Genu Varum

Knock knees or bow legs are a normal part of growth at certain ages. What matters is age, symmetry, progression and residual growth.

Scoliosis

Assessing a spinal curve: classification, bracing criteria and when a specialist referral is needed.

Pediatric Fractures

Pediatric fractures aren't simply smaller adult fractures. When a pediatric orthopaedic check-up is useful after trauma or an ER visit.

Physeal Fractures

Fractures near a joint in children can involve the growth plate: a pediatric orthopaedic assessment is needed to evaluate the risk.

Sports Traumatology

Sprains, strains and overload pain in young athletes: evaluation and criteria for return to sport.

SCFE (Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis)

In an adolescent, hip, groin or knee pain with limping needs prompt assessment of the hip. A normal body weight does not exclude SCFE; suspected SCFE requires urgent assessment without weight-bearing.

Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease

A limping child aged 4-8 without trauma warrants evaluation, especially with hip pain or morning stiffness.

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

Hip ultrasound findings in newborns: Graf classification, when a Pavlik harness is indicated, treatment duration and expected outcomes.

Congenital Clubfoot (CTEV)

Clubfoot is treated with serial casting using the Ponseti method, percutaneous Achilles tenotomy in most cases and a maintenance brace.

Browse 48 more conditions

Idiopathic Toe Walking

Occasional toe walking can occur during early walking. Persistence, asymmetry, new onset, contracture or motor difficulties warrant assessment.

Limb Length Discrepancy

One leg shorter: measuring the difference, considering a shoe lift and monitoring growth.

Kyphosis & Scheuermann Disease

A hunched back in adolescence: the difference between postural kyphosis and Scheuermann's disease, and when bracing is indicated.

🩺Neck

Congenital Muscular Torticollis

Head tilt in the newborn from muscular fibrosis: assessment is warranted if the tilt persists or is associated with facial asymmetry.

Femoral & Tibial Torsion

Walking with feet turned inward or outward: the rotational profile involves the hip, leg and foot, and in most children evolves spontaneously with growth.

Out-toeing Gait

Walking with feet turned outward: assessed as part of the overall rotational profile of the limb to determine whether follow-up is needed.

In-toeing Gait

Walking with feet turned inward and frequent tripping: in most cases a torsional pattern that improves with growth.

Sever Disease & Apophysitis

Heel pain in an active child may be due to apophysitis but must be interpreted alongside an examination. Assessment is useful if pain limits walking or sport, or keeps returning. Load is adjusted to symptoms: pain or limping during an activity is a reason to stop that activity.

Pes Cavus (Cavus Foot)

A markedly high arch: cavus foot needs to be distinguished between constitutional forms and those requiring neurological assessment.

Hindfoot Valgus

Heel tilted outward, often together with flatfoot: relevant if rigid, painful or asymmetric.

Anterior Knee Pain

Anterior knee pain in adolescents rarely has a single cause: sports overload, imperfect neuromuscular control and rapid growth often combine.

Neonatal Screening

Complete orthopaedic evaluation in newborn: hips, spine, feet, torticollis.

Orthopaedic Check-up

Preventive orthopaedic evaluation at key stages of growth.

Posture Evaluation

Assessment of posture and postural defects in developmental age.

Nursemaid's Elbow

A pulled arm the child stops moving: nursemaid's elbow is common under age 5; the diagnosis is clinical and treatment is a medical reduction manoeuvre.

Juvenile Osteochondroses

Distinct overload conditions of apophyses and ossification centres in young athletes — not generic 'growing pains'.

Non-Ossifying Fibroma

Non-ossifying fibroma in children: diagnosis, fracture risk, follow-up and sport. When observation is appropriate and when more assessment is needed.

Osteochondroma (Exostosis)

Benign bony growth: when to observe and when to operate.

Hereditary Multiple Exostoses (HME)

Hereditary condition with multiple exostoses: long-term follow-up and surgical management.

Simple Bone Cyst

Benign bone cavity: fracture risk, injections, and surgical management.

Patellar Dislocation

Kneecap dislocation in children: evaluation, conservative and surgical treatment.

Metatarsus Varus

A newborn's forefoot curves inwards: many flexible forms improve naturally. Assessment distinguishes flexibility, rigidity and the need for treatment.

Groin and pubic pain in the young athlete

Groin pain during sports affects young soccer players and athletes: causes, diagnosis and recovery pathway.

ASIS Avulsion Fracture

Sudden hip pain during a sprint or kick: an ASIS avulsion fracture affects adolescent athletes and needs prompt diagnosis.

AIIS Avulsion Fracture

Acute groin pain after a missed kick: an AIIS avulsion is typical of young soccer players.

Osgood-Schlatter Disease

Pain below the knee after sports: Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause in adolescents and needs proper assessment to guide treatment.

Sever's Disease

Calcaneal apophysitis can cause pain in one or both heels in growing children. Assessment and activity are adapted to symptoms.

Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome

Pain at the base of the kneecap: Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome is an apophysitis typical of ages 10-14.

Köhler's Disease

A 3-7 year old limping with foot pain: Köhler's disease is an osteochondritis of the tarsal navicular.

Freiberg's Disease

Forefoot pain when walking in a teenage girl: Freiberg's disease is a metatarsal osteonecrosis typical of ages 12-18.

Iselin's Disease

Pain on the outer edge of the foot after sports: Iselin's disease is often mistaken for a sprain.

Panner's Disease

Elbow pain after gymnastics or throwing: Panner's disease is an osteochondritis typical of ages 5-10.

Pectus Carinatum

Pectus carinatum in young people: exercises, bracing, sport and follow-up. Decisions depend on chest flexibility, symptoms and growth.

Pectus Excavatum

Sunken sternum: when pectus excavatum requires cardiac evaluation, a vacuum bell, or the Nuss procedure.

Isthmic Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis

Low back pain after sports involving repeated hyperextension (gymnastics, dance, soccer): a pattern that should raise suspicion of spondylolysis.

Septic Arthritis of the Hip

Possible joint infection: substantial pain, an unwell child or refusal to bear weight need urgent assessment, even without fever.

Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee

Recurrent knee pain in a young athlete, swelling, catching or locking sensations? Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee is an osteochondral lesion that needs dedicated assessment: skeletal age, site and fragment stability guide the pathway.

Transient Synovitis of the Hip

Temporary inflammation of the hip causing a sudden limp. A benign picture, but it must be distinguished from septic arthritis.

📋Injuries & Sport

Tibial eminence (tibial spine) fracture

A fracture of the bony attachment of the ACL. Injury to the ligament fibres or other knee structures may coexist. Displacement, stability and associated injuries guide treatment.

Fracture of the base of the fifth metatarsal in children

Pain on the outer border of the foot after a sprain: in children the fifth metatarsal base may show an apophysitis, an avulsion fracture or, less often, a Jones fracture. Site, age and displacement change treatment.

Seymour fracture (open distal phalanx fracture with nail bed injury)

A crushed fingertip with a lifted nail: a Seymour fracture involves the distal phalanx with a nail-bed injury that can make it an open fracture. It requires urgent assessment because of infection risk.

Paediatric trigger thumb

The child's thumb stays bent at the last joint and a small nodule is felt at its base: this is paediatric trigger thumb. A proportion resolves spontaneously; the other options are observation, selective splinting and surgery.

Congenital clasped thumb

The thumb stays folded into the palm and the child struggles to bring it out: in congenital clasped thumb the limitation involves extension of the metacarpophalangeal joint. Flexible forms often respond to early splinting.

Clinodactyly

A finger, most often the little finger, curves sideways in the plane of the hand. In most cases clinodactyly is a mild, asymptomatic variant: function, progression and, when relevant, associated conditions are assessed.

Camptodactyly

A finger, most often the little finger, stays bent at the middle joint and does not fully straighten. Flexible forms are managed with stretching and splinting; surgery is selective and recurrence is possible.