Pediatric and adolescent orthopedics
Whether your child is born with a bone or joint condition or has an injury from a fall, sports or an accident our WashU Medicine pediatric orthopedic specialists are here to help. We diagnose and treat bone, joint and muscle conditions in children and teens, from common injuries and sports conditions to complex conditions that affect growth and development. Our team cares for fractures, scoliosis, hip conditions, limb differences, foot, ankle, hand and wrist problems, sports injuries and conditions that affect growth and development.
Why choose WashU Medicine Orthopedics for pediatric orthopedic care?
In partnership with St. Louis Children’s Hospital, our pediatric orthopedic program is ranked #1 in Missouri and among the top pediatric orthopedic programs in the nation. Our specialists provide dedicated expertise in pediatric spine hip, foot and ankle, hand and upper extremity, sports medicine and other areas of pediatric orthopedics. Explore our specialized services.
Pediatric orthopedic expertise
Our board-certified and fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic physicians and surgeons specialize in conditions that affect growing bones, joints and muscles. Meet our team.
Multidisciplinary treatment approach
Our team works with pediatric radiologists, physiatrists, physical therapists, rehabilitation specialists and other pediatric specialists to coordinate care based on each child’s needs.
Convenient access to care
With nine locations across the St. Louis area, expert care is always close to home.
Advancing pediatric orthopedic care
Our team is supported by one of the largest NIH-funded orthopedic research programs in the country, helping advance how orthopedic conditions in children are diagnosed and treated.
Commonly treated pediatric orthopedic conditions
Spine and back
Our pediatric spine specialists provide nonsurgical and surgical care for spine conditions in children and teens. Learn more about pediatric spine care.
Hip and leg
Foot and ankle
Hand and upper extremity
Fractures and injuries
- Pediatric fractures
- Elbow fractures
- Femur fractures
- Knee fractures
- Growth plate fractures
- Sprains and other orthopedic injuries
Sports and overuse injuries
Bone and developmental conditions
Specialized pediatric orthopedic services
Foot deformities
We treat congenital pediatric foot deformities such as clubfoot, vertical talus, flatfoot, polydactyly and metatarsus adductus. For babies born with clubfoot, our specialists use the Ponseti method, a nonsurgical treatment that gradually corrects the position of the foot through a series of casts. After casting, children wear a brace to help maintain the correction and prevent the clubfoot from returning. Our team also has expertise in nonsurgical casting techniques for congenital vertical talus.
Spinal deformities
The WashU Medicine Orthopedics pediatric spine care program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital is one of the leading programs in the world for the treatment of spinal deformities and problems with the immature growing spine. Our surgeons are at the forefront in treating early onset scoliosis and severe cases of scoliosis, kyphosis, and spondylolisthesis. This includes scoliosis related to arthrogryposis, neuromuscular scoliosis related to Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, cerebral palsy, and myelomeningocele; and spinal deformities related to connective tissue disorders, including Marfan syndrome and neurofibromatosis. Research by our pediatric spine specialists has helped shape surgical and nonsurgical treatments for spinal deformities that are now used around the world.
Learn more from our pediatric spine experts. Read the Growing Spine Blog, written by WashU Medicine pediatric orthopedic surgeon Scott Luhmann, MD, for information about scoliosis and other conditions that affect the growing spine.
Visit the Growing Spine blog
Hip deformities
Our pediatric hip specialists treat developmental hip dysplasia, hip impingement and other conditions that can cause pain or affect hip development in children and teens. Through our Adolescent and Young Adult Hip Disorders Center, we are one of the few programs in the country with specialized expertise in hip arthroscopy for adolescents. Treatment focuses on relieving pain, improving movement and preserving the natural hip joint whenever possible.
Pediatric hand, wrist and upper extremity conditions
Congenital and developmental hand conditions may including radial club hand, thumb deficiencies, syndactyly (webbed fingers), polydactyly (extra fingers), cleft hand, Madelung deformity and other wrist deformities.
Trauma and sports-related injuries to the hand, wrist, and forearm also are treated, as is adolescent carpal tunnel syndrome. Our team has specialized expertise in microsurgery and reconstructive surgery, including reconstruction of congenital hand deformities and peripheral nerve repair. Arthroscopy of the elbow, wrist or hand may also be used to diagnose and treat certain injuries.
Learn more from our pediatric hand experts. The Congenital Hand and Arm Differences Blog is written by WashU Medicine pediatric hand and upper extremity surgeon Charles Goldfarb, MD, and features information about congenital hand and arm conditions and treatment.
Visit the Congenital Hand and Arm Differences blog
Lower extremity deformities and limb length differences
WashU Medicine Orthopedics treats lower extremity deformities in children, including Blount’s Disease, bowed legs (genu varum) and limb-length differences (uneven limb length in young children). For some children, the Taylor Spatial Frame external fixator may be used to gradually correct limb deformities, poor bone alignment or traumatic injuries. This computer-assisted system allows our pediatric orthopedic specialists to make precise, gradual adjustments as the bone heals and moves into better alignment.
Sports medicine
We provide specialized care for children and teens with sports-related injuries, from common fractures and overuse injuries to complex knee, shoulder and elbow conditions, helping young athletes safely recover and return to activity.
Areas of expertise include the treatment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), discoid meniscus condition, patellar dislocations, anterior knee pain, meniscus injuries and ligament injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. Acute and overuse injuries of the shoulder, elbow, ankle, back, wrist, hands and feet also are treated.
Our pediatric orthopedic sports medicine providers are a part of the St. Louis Children’s Young Athlete Center, which connects young athletes with additional services to support recovery, health and performance.
Hear from our pediatric sports medicine experts. WashU Medicine pediatric sports medicine physician Mark Halstead, MD, hosts two podcasts featuring conversations about sports injuries, health, safety and other topics affecting young athletes and their families.
Listen to the Pediatric Sports Medicine Podcast
Listen to the Healthy Young Athlete Podcast
Musculoskeletal oncology
Our team diagnoses and treats children with benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous) bone and soft tissue tumors. Conditions include osteochondroma, bone cysts, osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma and other musculoskeletal tumors.
Our pediatric orthopedic oncologists work closely with pediatric radiologists, pathologists, and pediatric oncologists to create an individualized treatment plan for each child. When surgery is needed, the goal is to completely remove the tumor while preserving as much movement and function as possible.
Our team has extensive experience in limb-salvage surgery and reconstructing bone after tumor removal. In more than 90% of the cases we treat, limb-salvage techniques allow our surgeons to remove the tumor without amputation. Depending on the child's condition, reconstruction may include metallic or endoprosthetic reconstruction, large-fragment allografts, vascularized fibular grafts or expandable endoprosthetic implants designed to accommodate a growing child. Rehabilitation may begin soon after surgery when the child is medically ready.