Lifestyle & Risk Factors

SCFE can occur slowly for reasons that are not well understood, or it can present alongside trauma such as a fall or car accident. The condition is most commonly diagnosed among adolescents aged 11-15 who are still growing and therefore have open growth plates. SCFE also typically presents earlier in girls (age 11-14 years) than boys (age 12-15 years) and approximately one-third of patients have both hips affected.

SCFE is more common in males, overweight children, and individuals of black ethnicity. Other risk factors for SCFE include kidney or thyroid problems, and a prior diagnosis of SCFE on the other hip. Patients who have received radiation treatment are also at higher risk.

Some anatomical features have also been associated with the development of SCFE. These include the relative femur retroversion, deep set acetabulae, and increased physeal slope.