The Standards of Skeletal Maturity of Hand and Wrist for Chinese-China 05 IV. The Characteristics of Skeletal Development in Chinese Children / 中国运动医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective The determination of skeletal maturity is an important measure for selecting sports talent. The characteristics of skeletal development of hand and wrist in Chinese children were investigated in order to compare with overseas experiences. Methods The subjects were 16035 children, aged 2～18 years. The skeletal maturity of hand and wrist of the subjects was estimated by TW3 method and was compared with that of European, European North American and Japanese children. Results In comparison with European and American children, Chinese and Japanese children showed a similar patterns of skeletal maturation. The TW3-RUS skeletal maturity of Chinese children was retarded by 0.3～0.6 year in boys at the age of 8～12 and was very close to European and American in girls at the age of 5～10. Older than 12 years of age in boys and 10 years of age in girls, the TW3-RUS skeletal maturity of Chinese children accelerated and became advanced by 1.1～1.6 years in boys, by 1.2 years in girls. As compared with European and American children, the TW3-carpal maturity delayed by 0.3～0.6 year in Chinese boys at the age of 3～10 and by 0.2～0.4 year in Chinese girls at the age of 2～5. The TW3-carpal maturation accelerated after age of 10 in boys and age of 5 in girls. The age of complete maturity in all carpals was advanced by 1.4 year in boys and girls. Conclusion As compared with European and American children in 1970s-1990s, the delay of skeletal development of hand and wrist in Chinese children was not obvious in childhood, and the extent of advanced skeletal maturity and the age of advanced complete maturity of Chinese children are more evidently.