When you break your growth plate will it affect you years later?

Only if broken young: Damaged growth plates are harmful because they can prevent normal bone growth in childhood and adolescence. As an adult, growth plates are inactive (fused or closed) so this is only a true problem for children still growing. Adults can suffer from differences in limb length for a lifetime if one limb had a significant growth plate injury while still growing as a child. See an orthopedic surgeon...