The development of tibiofibular torsion

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pediatric medicine
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Understanding lower limb development is crucial for identifying potential orthopedic issues.
• The angle of torsion, a key biomechanical parameter, influences gait and posture.
• Limited data exists on age- and sex-related variations in leg torsion during childhood and adolescence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the angle of torsion in the lower limbs of a large cohort of schoolchildren.
• To identify potential sex- and age-specific differences in leg torsion.
• To describe the developmental trajectory of leg torsion from early childhood to late adolescence.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 1607 schoolchildren (597 boys, 1010 girls) aged 3–17 years.
• Measurement of the angle of torsion in both lower limbs for all participants.
• Statistical analysis to compare torsion angles between sexes, between limbs, and across different age groups.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in leg torsion were observed between the left and right lower limbs in boys.
• Girls showed statistically significant differences in leg torsion between limbs at ages 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13 years.
• A slight, inconsistent increase in the torsional angle was observed from approximately 5 degrees at age 3 to 17 degrees at age 17 in both sexes, with a notable difference between 11- and 12-year-old boys.

Conclusions:

• Leg torsion exhibits minimal age-related changes in children and adolescents, with a general trend of slight increase.
• Sex-specific differences in limb torsion asymmetry are present in girls during specific developmental periods.
• These findings contribute to normative data for lower limb development and may inform clinical assessments of pediatric orthopedic conditions.