Effects of joint loading on the development of capital femoral epiphysis morphology.

Smaller epiphyseal tubercle and peripheral cupping with greater metaphyseal fossa size in partial weightbearing hips suggests that the growing capital femoral epiphysis requires mechanical stimulus to adequately develop epiphyseal stabilizers. Deposit low prevalence and relevance of SCFE in CP, these findings highlight both the role of normal joint loading in proper physis development and how chronic abnormal loading may contribute to various pathomorphological changes of the proximal femur (i.e., capital femoral epiphysis).