Radioulnar interphalangeal joint angles in children and adolescents aged 0 to 19 years.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the normal ranges of radioulnar (i.e. medial-lateral) finger deviations during growth. We retrospectively measured radioulnar interphalangeal joint angles in 6236 properly aligned thumbs and fingers in trauma radiographs of 4720 patients aged 0 to 19 years. The mean interphalangeal joint angle of the thumb was 0.2° (standard deviation 1.5°). The average proximal interphalangeal joint angles were ulnar deviation of 2.5° (1.7°) for the index, ulnar deviation 1.7° (1.5°) for the middle, radial deviation 1.3° (1.8°) for the ring, radial deviation 2.0° (2.8°) for the little fingers. The distal interphalangeal joint angles were ulnar deviation of 2.5° (1.7°), ulnar deviation 2.1° (1.7°), radial deviation 2.1° (1.7°), radial deviation 5.1° (2.8°) from index to the little fingers. Thumbs were typically straight, whereas the index and middle fingers deviated ulnarly, and ring and little fingers radially. There were no relevant differences in sex or laterality.