Whether mobility influences the osteometric features at the articular ends of the metacarpal bones.

A study of osteometric characteristics of first and third metacarpal bones has been undertaken with the object of assessing the relative role of mobility and length of metacarpal bones in relation to the dimensions of the head, mid-shaft and base of the respective bones. Observations regarding the length of metacarpal bones, dorsopalmar and side-to-side diameters of the head, mid-shaft and base and corresponding axial ratios have been recorded on fifty samples, each of first and third metacarpal bones. The data thus collected have been subjected to a statistical analysis, consisting of Students "t" test and Coefficient of Correlation and the inferences presented in relation to the relative importance of mobility and length in the determination of these characteristics. This analysis suggests that the shapes of the articular surfaces and the shaft cross-sectional area of the metacarpal bones are not correlated to the length but are associated with mobility.