Effect of multiple hereditary exostoses on sports activity in children

Objective: The purpose of this clinical case-control study was to assess the level of sports activity in children with hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) and to compare with the degree of physical activity in children of the same age without pathology. Methods: A case-control study was designed. Cases were drawn from children with HME diagnosed on the basis of clinical and radiographic evaluation with an age less then 12 years. Controls were chosen from a group of children with the same age and a negative family history for HME. All patients and controls were completed with the help of parents using the following evaluations: Tegner Activity Level Scale and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) activity scale. Results: A total of 154 individuals participated (54 cases and 100 controls). In the case groups, the mean age was 9.07; the mean number of exostoses resulted 29.51, while the mean value of UCLA and Tegner score resulted respectively 6.04 and 5.09. In the controls, the mean age was 8.88; mean UCLA and Tegner resulted respectively 7.17 and 5.64. Comparing the two groups, the only difference was between UCLA score (p = 0.0053). Moreover, comparing the results between female children affected by HME and female controls, we found a significant difference as regards UCLA score (p = 0.0045). Conclusion: Children affected by HME reported lower sports activity, in particular as regards female patients. Moreover, physical activity is not correlated with any other independent factor leading different patients to a similar level of ability in performing sport. Study design: Level III – Case Control Study.