Variation in the treatment of Perthes disease can certainly be confusing if not maddening to parents seeking answers.Unfortunately it seems like we still have more questions than answers regarding this disease. Be that as it may, the question: “Why are there such varied treatments of Perthes disease among doctors?” is an immensely valid one. Treatment variation can come from several sources. One is the disease itself. Perthes does not affect every child in exactly the same way, so treatment must be tailored to the needs of the individual child. Another source of variation is individual training and experience of the pediatric orthopaedic surgeon. Not all doctors receive exactly the same teaching and training. At some point in the future biological treatments and specialized medications may allow us to treat Perthes at its earliest stages.Until then we are simply reacting to relatively established Perthes. The treatment principles are well known and

Will my child play sports again?     Yes. Almost all children with Perthes will remain physically active. In fact, physical fitness is key to long term health of the hip.  However, many doctors may recommend a period of time when the child should avoid high impact sporting activities. Some families choose to limit certain