Back to the question of forearm fractures in children: tradition and contemporary view (literature review)

In recent decades, the incidence of bone fractures in children has increased. Forearm bone fractures are one of the most common childhood injuries, often occurring during the period of metaphyseal growth, which coincides with puberty. For many decades, both in this country and abroad, the choice of treatment tactics for forearm bone fractures in children remains relevant and regularly becomes a subject of discussion among specialists. The aim of the study is to analyze statistics and modern trends in the epidemiology of forearm bone fractures in children and adolescents. Full-text publications of clinical studies and reviews, publicly available in the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus; PubMed, RSCI databases, were subjected to analysis. The incidence of forearm bone fractures is 411 cases per 100,000 population per year. They are regularly observed in children, accounting for about 74% of upper limb bone fractures, are seasonal in nature and predominate in the period from May to August. They are more common at school age, and the severity correlates with the child’s age. The most common fractures in children are fractures of the distal forearm bones. The typical mechanism of injury is falling down at home or during sports’ activities. The diagnosis is made by the totality of clinical and radiological appearance. Open growth plates, high regenerative potential, and spontaneous bone remodeling in young children determine the efficiency of conservative fracture treatment tactics. Casting provides bone fusion and remodeling, which are maximum in case of fractures near the growth plate