ABSTRACT
Immature skeletons heal rapidly and can remodel with growth but physeal injury or muscle imbalance may lead to progressive deformity. The conservative treatment of common conditions, such as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) combines the child’s remodelling ability with an understanding of the Heuter–Volkmann principle and Wolff’s law (Table 39.1): improving the biomechanical environment may reverse abnormal growth. In contrast, in conditions such as Blount’s disease, a poorly functioning growth plate leads to asymmetrical growth and deformity. Advances in genetics and molecular science are improving our understanding of certain conditions and may lead to potential new avenues of treatment.
