apophysitis

1 9.9

Swelling and pain at a growth area in a bone that affects children during fast growth

noun
/ˌæpəˈfaɪsɪtɪs/

Specialized

: apofisitis

Many young athletes develop apophysitis in their knees during growth spurts.

Examples

Overuse injuries of the hip in adults often lead to tendonitis or bursitis, whereas apophysitis or avulsion injury is much more common in children and adolescents (see Figure 2).

Academic text (2006)
To avoid reinjury or chronic apophysitis, the injury should heal completely before the patient returns to normal activities.

Academic text (2006)
The doctor explained that apophysitis is a common condition affecting active children.
Parents should monitor their children's complaints of pain, as it may indicate apophysitis.

Surface Forms

apophysitis singular

apophysitides plural

Morphology

apophysitis = apophysis (semi-transparent) = apophys + itis

The medical suffix '-itis' clearly signals inflammation, but 'apophysis' is specialized anatomical vocabulary that learners may not know.

Etymology

The word apophysitis comes from Greek parts apo- 'away from', physis 'growth', and -itis 'inflammation', like the -itis in tonsillitis or arthritis. It describes when a small growth or growth plate on a bone becomes sore and swollen, which is why it often affects children and teenagers during growth spurts.