As Coronavirus Changes Behaviors, Some Colorado Doctors See More Kids With Broken Bones

LONE TREE, Colo. (CBS4) - As more and more kids hop on bikes, scooters, skateboards and just start playing outside, some doctors are seeing more and more broken bones. Rocky Mountain Pediatric OrthoONE had a 35% increase in children with fractures May 2020 over May 2019.

Grayson Forget was in the office recently, having his cast cut off. It was freedom for the 11 year old. His arm had been in the cast for three weeks, ever since he had a bad crash on his bicycle.

"Was it scary?" asked CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh.

"Hmm, yeah," said Grayson.

The Forgets became a bike-riding family this summer.

"We were ready for adventure," said Amber Forget, Grayson's mother.

They were on their first trail ride in Castle Rock when Grayson lost control.

"Never look back on your bike," he said.

The 6th grader needed stitches, lost a tooth and broke his wrist.

"Trauma, they fall and they break things," said Dr. Brooke Pengel, pediatric sports medicine physician with Rocky Mountain Pediatric OrthoONE.

She said while patient visits are down following coronavirus restrictions, the number of kids coming in with fractures is up.

"In May, for example, compared to last year we saw 35% more fractures," she said.

Pengel believes the coronavirus pandemic has switched kids behavior. With fewer organized summer sports and canceled family vacations, they have turned to neighborhood play.

Pengel said, on one busy day for broken bones, "There were four skateboarding, three bike riding, three trampoline, two scooters."

Still, kids bounce back.

"He found a way to go on," said Amber Forget. "After two days, he was functioning."

Grayson's mishap can't stop him. Doctors here have adapted.

The group has opened walk-in clinics at Sky Ridge Medical Center and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.

They offer one-stop orthopedic care for injured kids who want to get back to summer fun.