Foot length as a marker of pubertal onset.

This observational study was conducted on 973 healthy children between 8 and 16 years to evaluate the relation between changes in foot length and pubertal maturation. The right foot length of study children was recorded and SMR staging was done. The difference in mean foot length was statistically significant between SMR 1 and 2 (P<;0.0001). No significant difference in the mean foot lengths was found thereafter. Smoothed standard deviation curves were constructed for foot length as a function of SMR stage using the LMS method. Foot length was found to rise sharply in SMR 2, which coincides with the onset of puberty.