Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.8
2.1
Journals
Children
Special Issues
Musculoskeletal Disorders in Children: Symptoms, Risks and Prevention
share announcement

Musculoskeletal Disorders in Children: Symptoms, Risks and Prevention

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Orthopedics & Sports Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2026 | Viewed by 895

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Julio J. Jauregui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
Interests: pediatric orthopaedics; spine; fractures; orthopedic spine surgery
Prof. Dr. Joshua M. Abzug

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
Interests: pediatric fractures; pediatric orthopedics; pediatric upper extremity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Musculoskeletal disorders are among the most frequent causes of pain and functional limitation in children and adolescents, especially in organized sports. This Special Issue of Children, “Musculoskeletal Disorders in Children: Symptoms, Risks and Prevention,” will focus on conditions of the upper and lower extremities and spine, from overuse injuries to acute trauma and developmental disorders. We aim to highlight work that clarifies early symptom patterns, identifies biomechanical and psychosocial risk factors, and evaluates preventive and treatment strategies. We invite original research, reviews, technical notes, and case series on topics such as little league shoulder and AC/clavicle injuries; elbow OCD and UCL/medial epicondyle pathology; gymnast wrist, ACL, and meniscal tears; tibial tubercle and patellar disorders; ankle and hip injuries; and pediatric spine conditions.

Dr. Julio J. Jauregui
Prof. Dr. Joshua M. Abzug
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • musculoskeletal disorders
  • sports injuries
  • growth plate
  • pediatric spine
  • injury prevention

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 2479 KB  
Article
The Utilization of a Gait Pattern Classification System to Investigate the Effects of Ankle–Foot Orthoses on Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy
by Tobias Goihl, David F. Rusaw, Siri Merete Brændvik and Karin Roeleveld
Children 2026, 13(5), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13050594 (registering DOI) - 24 Apr 2026
Viewed by 104
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Ankle–foot orthoses (AFOs) are commonly used to improve gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP), but their effect on specific gait patterns is underreported. This study evaluates the utilization of the Gait Pattern Classification System for Children with Spastic CP (GaP-CP) [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Ankle–foot orthoses (AFOs) are commonly used to improve gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP), but their effect on specific gait patterns is underreported. This study evaluates the utilization of the Gait Pattern Classification System for Children with Spastic CP (GaP-CP) to investigate the effects of ankle–foot orthoses on gait kinematics, spatio-temporal parameters and the energy cost of walking. Methods: In this retrospective study, 66 ambulatory children with spastic CP underwent 3D gait analysis with and without AFOs or functional electrical stimulation. Gait patterns were classified according to GaP-CP. AFOs were articulated, flexible, or rigid. Thirty-six children also performed a 5 min walk test with gas exchange measurements. Step length, walking speed, and the energy cost of walking were calculated. Gait kinematics were analyzed with statistical nonparametric mapping. Non-parametric statistics were used to investigate orthotic effects for the total group and for each gait pattern. Results: Ankle kinematics improved in swing phase and initial contact (10 degrees less plantarflexion, p < 0.05) for the total group, dropfoot and genu recurvatum. During the stance phase, reduced knee extension in genu recurvatum (by 3 degrees, p < 0.05) and increased knee extension in crouch (by 3 degrees, p < 0.05) were observed. Median changes in non-dimensional step length were clinically significant (>0.039, p ≤ 0.02, effect size ≥ 0.55) for the total group and the dropfoot, genu recurvatum, and crouch subgroups, while changes in most gait indices, walking speed and the energy cost of walking were not clinically significant. Conclusions: The combined use of GaP-CP and kinematic analysis provided new insights into the effects of ankle–foot orthoses on gait. Articulated and flexible orthoses may not have provided adequate support for genu recurvatum and crouch gait, showing a potential value in gait pattern specific orthotic design to optimize gait kinematics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders in Children: Symptoms, Risks and Prevention)
12 pages, 218 KB  
Article
Incidence of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis in Crete (2021–2024): A Prospective Population-Based Study with a Focused Review of the Recent Literature
by Emmanouela Dionysia Laskaratou, Charalampos Konstantoulakis, Ioannis Sperelakis, Georgios M. Kontakis, Nikolaos Tzanakis and Rozalia Dimitriou
Children 2026, 13(3), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/children13030362 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 422
Abstract
Background: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is an adolescent hip disorder of high clinical importance in which diagnostic delay may lead to irreversible complications and long-term morbidity, and its incidence varies considerably across populations. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to [...] Read more.
Background: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is an adolescent hip disorder of high clinical importance in which diagnostic delay may lead to irreversible complications and long-term morbidity, and its incidence varies considerably across populations. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to provide contemporary, population-based incidence estimates of SCFE among children aged 6–16 years in Crete (2021–2024), addressing the lack of data from Greece and Southern Europe. A secondary aim was to contextualize these findings through a focused synthesis of international incidence reports published since 2015. Methods: All pediatric orthopedic specialists in Crete reported incident SCFE cases, all of which were radiographically confirmed. All confirmed cases of SCFE were documented. Annual population data for children aged 6–16 years were obtained from the Hellenic Statistical Authority. Incidence rates were expressed per 100,000 children aged 6–16 (95% CI, exact Poisson). A structured literature search (2015–May 2025) identified recent studies reporting SCFE incidence. Results: Eleven children with SCFE were identified (14 affected hips; three bilateral cases), corresponding to an incidence of 4.6 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 2.5–7.8) among children aged 6–16 years. Mean age at presentation was 10.72 years, 64% were female, and 82% were obese, with comorbidity findings recorded. The literature review (2015–May 2025; 14 studies) demonstrated substantial geographic variation in SCFE incidence, ranging from ~5 per 100,000 in Mediterranean settings to 57 per 100,000 boys aged 9–15 years in Sweden. The Cretan incidence rate was broadly consistent with other Mediterranean reports. Conclusions: SCFE is an uncommon condition in Crete, with incidence rates comparable to those of other Mediterranean populations. The geographically defined setting and relatively stable demographics support case ascertainment and the interpretability of the incidence estimates. Larger nationwide studies are warranted to better characterize SCFE epidemiology in Greece. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Musculoskeletal Disorders in Children: Symptoms, Risks and Prevention)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop