Growing Athlete — Sports Injuries in Adolescents | Dr Will Cundy Orthopaedic Surgery Adelaide

Specialist care for sports injuries in children and adolescents. Dr Will Cundy treats ACL tears, growth plate injuries, and overuse conditions in young athletes.

Young athletes are not simply small adults. Their growing skeletons — particularly the growth plates and apophyses — are vulnerable to injury patterns rarely seen in adults.

Overview

Dr Cundy has a particular interest in the orthopaedic management of adolescent athletes, helping them return to sport safely while protecting their developing bones and joints.

Conditions Treated

• Growth plate (physeal) fractures
• ACL and ligament injuries in adolescents
• Osgood-Schlatter disease
• Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome
• Apophysitis (hip, knee, heel)
• Patellofemoral pain and patellar instability
• Stress fractures in young athletes

Approach

Dr Cundy takes a conservative-first approach where possible, prioritising return to sport without compromising skeletal development. Where surgery is required — such as ACL reconstruction in a skeletally immature patient — technique selection is carefully tailored to protect the growth plate.