Growth plate

Written by Dr Sheila Strover on March 14, 2025

The growth plate or physis is a region near the end of the bone from which the new bone cells develop before the person reaches maturity, when it closes.

growth plate or physisThe growth plate is also called the 'physis'.

Surgeons try to avoid the growth plate

In children where surgery might cause damage to the growth plate, such as anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, surgeons will generally try to avoid drilling through the growth plate in order to avoid later growth distubrances.