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Mohammed H Al-Rumaih, Abdulrahman F Al-Otaibi, Tareq Almukhlafi | Cureus | (2026)
Key Takeaways
Plain English Takeaway
New ways to diagnose and treat bone and joint problems in children are making care safer, faster, and more personal, but more work is needed to make these advances available to all kids everywhere.
Study Aim
The review aims to present a comprehensive overview of the latest trends, recent findings, and future directions in diagnosing and managing pediatric orthopedic disorders (bone and joint problems in children). The authors focus on how new technologies and treatments are changing care, and they highlight both the progress made and the challenges that remain in making these advances widely available.
Simply put: The paper looks at how new tools and treatments are helping doctors find and fix bone problems in kids, and what still needs to be improved.
Study Design
This is a structured literature review. The authors searched four major databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus) for studies published from 2018 to 2025. They included research on children under 18 years old that focused on diagnosis, management, or progress of pediatric orthopedic conditions. Only high-quality studies, such as randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews, were included. After screening, 32 articles were selected to provide balanced evidence on key topics in the field.
Simply put: The authors read and compared many recent studies about bone and joint care in children to see what works best.
Findings
The review demonstrates that new diagnostic tools, like high-resolution ultrasound, low-dose cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and artificial intelligence (AI), are making it easier and safer to detect conditions such as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), scoliosis, and fractures in children. Treatments are shifting toward less invasive, growth-preserving methods, such as the Ponseti technique for clubfoot, Pavlik harness for DDH, and magnetically controlled growing rods for scoliosis. Innovations like bioabsorbable fixation, virtual surgical planning, and biologics (for example, platelet-rich plasma) are improving healing and reducing complications. However, the authors note that challenges remain, including limited access to advanced technologies in low-resource settings, the need for more validation of AI tools, and workforce shortages. They recommend further research, especially multicenter trials, and stress the importance of making these advances accessible to all children. Future directions include validated AI, regenerative stem cell therapies, 3D-printed implants, robotics, and genetic treatments.
Simply put: New tests and treatments are helping kids heal better and faster, but doctors need to make sure everyone can use these tools and keep testing them to be sure they work.
Abstract
Congenital disorders, such as clubfoot, developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), and developmental problems, such as scoliosis, traumatic fractures, infections, tumors, neuromuscular dysfunction, and sports injuries, are all pediatric orthopedic disorders that impact millions of children around the world and can cause a lifetime of musculoskeletal disability unless they are treated early. These disorders are caused by genetic, biomechanical, and environmental factors that affect developing bones and joints. The review is a synthesis of recent developments during the 2018-2025 period, drawing on major studies from major databases. Radiation-free methods, such as high-resolution ultrasound in DDH, low-dose cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in fractures, fast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols, and artificial intelligence (AI)-based models have been shown to improve diagnosis with 90-98% accuracy in fracture detection, scoliosis classification, and bone age assessment. Trends in management focus on minimally invasive, growth-preservation strategies. The Ponseti technique and Pavlik harnesses remain very effective for clubfoot and DDH, and surgeries for scoliosis are minimized with magnetically controlled growing rods. Bioabsorbable fixation, virtual surgical planning (minimizing operating time and fluoroscopy), and biologics like platelet-rich plasma help promote improved healing with fewer complications. The innovations will reduce morbidity and improve long-term outcomes by providing personalized, evidence-based care. Nevertheless, the issues persist, including the lack of AI validation, access disparities in low-resource environments, and the need for more rigorous multicenter trials. The future outlook is validated AI integration, regenerative stem cell therapies, 3D-printed personalized implants, robotics, and genetic treatment to bring care to all children more equitably and effectively.
Referenced In
Mercedes C.
2 months ago
Created: Apr 11, 2026