Estimation of stature by morphometry of percutaneous tibia

Abstract

Introduction: Stature estimation is an indispensable part of the identification process of human skeletal remains or body parts. Height is also fundamental to assess growth and nutrition and calculating body surface area. Studies on anthropometric measurements of lower limbs among living people have been used as an important tool by forensic anthropologists to reconstruct the living stature of unidentified skeletal remains. Aims and Objectives:The aim of the present study was to estimate the stature from percutaneous tibial length (PCTL) by formulating linear regression equations and also by using multiplication factors, which would be useful in the field of forensic anthropology. Materials and Methods: Sample size measured 350 subjects of Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur, age group ranging from 17 to 22yrs were considered for the study. Height and PCTL were measured using the standard anthropometric technique. Results: Stature was estimated from PCTL using simple regression analysis. The height of males was significantly higher than that of females. The mean height in females and males was 158.87cm and 170.88 cm respectively; and mean PCTL was 38.54cm and 33.99cm in male and female respectively which was significantly (p<0.0001) greater for male compared with female. The regression formula derived for male was y=109.885+1.58x and for female was y=122.385+1.07x. The predicted height (y) so derived was in close approximation with that of the observed height. Conclusion: Stature can be estimated using the anthropometric measurements of tibia in an intact mutilated leg.