[A simple clinical investigation method for the approximative rapid determination of the antetorsional angle of the neck of femur (author's transl)].

The author comes to the conclusion that palpatory determination of the antetorsional angle, if executed by a skilled diagnostician, can often save an x-ray film and hence cost and radiation exposure, especially in nonadipose children, supplying satisfactory information on the torsional conditions at the end of the femur near the hip, within a few seconds' time, taking the examination technique into consideration. Antetorsion of the femur at the hip is defined. The aetiomorphology of the antetorsional angle cannot be considered as an independent phenomenon, since it can be viewed only within the overall interplay of the torsional conditions of the leg. In this connection it becomes evident that there is a well-defined relationship between antetorsion of the femur near the hip and apical position of the trochanter major. The so-called "antetorsion-ddependent, externorotatory trochanter major effect" ist expressed mathematically by the trochanter major retrotorsional angle, which is in fact the only way to properly determine the antetorsional angle via manual palpation.