Normative reference values for lower limb joint range, bone torsion, and alignment in children aged 4-16 years

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Orthopedics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

• Normative reference values are critical for assessing deviations from normal and treatment efficacy.
• Limited published data exists for pediatric lower limb passive joint range of motion (ROM) and bone torsion.
• Establishing reliable pediatric norms is essential for accurate clinical evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine normative reference values for lower limb passive joint ROM and bone torsion in typically developing children.
• To provide age-specific data to aid in the identification of deviations from normal development.
• To establish a baseline for evaluating treatment response in pediatric musculoskeletal conditions.

Main Methods:

• Collected lower limb passive joint ROM and bone torsion data from 53 typically developing children.
• Participants ranged in age from 4 to 16 years.
• Data analysis focused on establishing reference values and identifying age-related correlations.

Main Results:

• Established reference values for pediatric lower limb passive joint ROM and bone torsion.
• Observed consistency with some existing literature, but noted significant variability in certain measures.
• Identified a clear correlation between joint range of motion and age across most measured parameters.

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable age-matched normative data for pediatric lower limb joint ROM and bone torsion.
• Emphasizes the importance of utilizing age-specific norms for accurate assessment of pediatric musculoskeletal development.
• Highlights the need for further research to address variability in existing literature and refine pediatric reference values.