Purpose: About 20% of all fractures in children occur at the lower extremity. This study aims to investigate the epidemiology and injury pattern of lower extremity fractures within the pediatric population consulting a tertiary referral hospital in Switzerland.
Methods: Study population included all patients up to 16 years presenting with a lower extremity fracture over a period of one year. Recorded data were age, gender, side, season of the year, mechanism, type of fracture and applied treatment.
Results: Fractures of the lower extremity represent 23% of all fractures with a mean age of 9 years and 6 months. The tibia, with 94 fractures (38%), represents the most frequently injured bone. Peak incidence is seen in winter and 24% of tibia shaft fractures were due to board sports. Overall, 82% of fractures were treated by cast with or without closed reduction, and only 18% requested surgery.
Conclusion: Board sports seems to be a leading cause of tibial shaft fracture in our region. Nevertheless, only 18% of fractures had recourse to an orthopedic surgeon, hence the importance of the teaching quality of pediatric residents for conservative fracture treatment.
Keywords: Epidemiology; Fractures; Lower extremity; Pediatric injuries.
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