Distribution of lengths of the normal femur and tibia in Korean children from three to sixteen years of age.

To develop a standard growth curve of the lower extremity in Korean children from 3 to 16 yr of age, the lengths from a total of 2087 normal long bone segments (582 femurs and 645 tibias in boys, and 417 femurs and 443 tibias in girls) were measured. Children were grouped by years of bone age, which was determined by using the Korean specific bone age standard; TW2-20 method. The growth spurt occurred in girls from eight to eleven years by bone age, and in boys from eleven to thirteen years. The mean tibial length relative to the mean femoral length was 0.78 in boys and 0.79 in girls. The overall growth pattern was similar to that observed in American children in the 1960s. Korean children and adolescents appear to have a different tempo of skeletal maturation during pubertal growth from that of English and American children and adolescents. The Korean standard growth curve and the Korean bone age chart allow determination of the presence of any existent growth abnormalities and prediction of future remaining growth in lower extremities. These normative growth standards can be used for leg-length equalization purposes in children with anisomelia.