Relationship of Maturation Age to Incidence of Injury in Tackle Football

Abstract

Abstract X-ray films of the right hand and wrist of 62 boys, age 13 to 16 years, engaged in tackle football (junior high school) were assessed for maturation (skeletal) age. Of this group, 31 were injured and a like number were not injured during a regular season of play. In the injured group, 21 (68%) were advanced, their skeletal age being more than their chronological age, and 10 (32%) were retarded, their skeletal age being less than their chronological age. The average skeletal age of the injured group was 15 years 5 months, and the average chronological age was 14 years 9 months, a difference of 8 months. This difference was found to be significant at the 5 percent level of probability. In the noninjured group, 23 (74%) were advanced, and 8 (26%) were retarded. The average skeletal age of the noninjured group was 15 years 3 months and the average chronological age was 14 years 8½ months. This difference of 6½ months was found to be significant at the 2 percent level of probability. The mean difference in skeletal age between the two groups was not statistically significant. Within the limits of this study, no relationship was found between skeletal age and incidence of injury.