The young knee.

A growing knee is different

A child’s knee is not simply a smaller version of an adult’s. The growth plates are still open, the anatomy is still developing, and injuries that look familiar on a scan call for very different decisions. ACL ruptures, meniscal tears and patella dislocations are increasingly common in children and adolescents as youth sport becomes more competitive, and they are too easily dismissed as “growing pains”.

Trusted by the profession

Because treating the young knee demands specific expertise, consultant surgeons, sports physicians, GPs and physiotherapists regularly refer their young patients — and, tellingly, their own children — to Mr Trikha. A referral from a fellow surgeon is the strongest endorsement in medicine, and it reflects three decades of experience managing knee injuries in patients whose bones are still growing.

Growth-sensitive treatment

Wherever possible the first step is structured rehabilitation rather than an operation. When surgery is needed — an unstable ACL, a repairable meniscus, recurrent patella dislocation — Mr Trikha uses growth-plate-sensitive techniques planned around your child’s stage of development, followed by a criteria-based return to sport guided by strength and confidence testing rather than the calendar alone.