Growth Plate

A growth plate, also known as the epiphyseal plate, is a layer of cartilage at the ends of long bones in children and adolescents. It is where new bone tissue forms, allowing bones to lengthen as a person grows. Over time, the growth plate gradually hardens and becomes solid bone in a process called epiphyseal closure, which marks the end of height increase. Growth plates are vital for proper skeletal development and are especially vulnerable to injury during youth, which can potentially affect normal growth if damaged.