Reliability of the prediction of adult body height based on skeletal age assessment

Abstract

Longitudinal monitoring of young sportspersons (50 males and 35 females) was used to verify the accuracy of two methods (Bayley, 1959; Prokopec, 1979) of adult body height prediction based on a knowledge of the skeletal age of the subjects. The methods are also compared with prediction based on calendar age. The mean difference in prediction was 2% of adult body height using the Bayley (1959) method and 1.5% using the method of Prokopec et al. (1979), similarly for males and females. The categories of deviations 0‐2 and 2‐5 cm included 96% of males and 100% of females according to the Prokopec method, whereas in the case of Bayley's the figures were 80% and 100% respectively. Thus the percentile growth graph of Prokopec et al. seems more suitable, particularly in the case of above‐average height.

Keywords:

• prediction of height
• body height
• skeletal age