[Effect of ski racing on the skeleton of the hands and feet of young sportsmen].

To evaluate the influence of skiing races on the locomotor system of young skiers, a group of 32 sportsmen at the age of 12 years, who attend a sporting school, was examined roentgenologically. Ten children of the same age who do not go in for sports were taken as controls and examined in the same way. One hundred and sixty-eight roentgenograms were prepared and measurements were made. The data obtained were biometrically processed with a computer. The analysis of the results revealed that the hand and foot skeletal bones of the young sportsmen were much longer than those of the controls. Thickness of the growth zones of some bones prevail in young skiers. To reveal specific peculiarities of the skeletal changes in the locomotor system of children we calculated indices for hands and feet. The indices expressed in figures make it clear that more specific changes are seen in the hand bones and especially in the foot bones of the young skiers. All these changes are of progressive character.