Metatarsals in the estimation of stature in South Africans

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2008.05.007

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine

Volume 15, Issue 8, November 2008, Pages 505-509

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2008.05.007 Get rights and content

Abstract

To date, only one study has investigated the potential of metatarsals in the estimation of stature for forensic purposes. The morphology of these bones from clinical and paleontological perspectives is well researched in different parts of the world including South Africa. The present study aimed at assessing the usefulness of metatarsals of South Africans in the estimation of stature. For this study, 226 complete skeletons obtained from the Raymond A. Dart Collection were used in the formulation of univariate and multivariate regression equations from six linear measurements of metatarsals. The standard error of estimate for these equations was lower than that obtained for fragments of long bones and other skeletal elements studied so far for stature estimation in South Africans with the exception of intact long bones. Therefore, regression equations presented in this study can provide a reliable estimate of stature in cases where intact long bones are not available for forensic analysis.

Introduction

Recent trends in forensic anthropology have shown an increased interest in forensic age diagnosis using regression analysis.1, 2, 3, 4 According to Krogman and Iscan,⁵ this statistical theorem was developed by Pearson in 1899 for the purpose of reconstructing stature. Intact long bones of the upper and lower extremities have been subjected to this analysis in Americans,6, 7 South Africans,8, 9, 10 Portuguese,¹¹ Germans,¹² Bulgarians¹³ and Turks¹⁴ for the purpose of stature estimation. Since long bones are not recovered in their intact state in all forensic cases, researchers have also formulated regression equations from the skull,15, 16, 17 metacarpals,18, 19 measurements of fragments of long bones,20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and talus and calcaneus.25, 26, 27 Recently, efforts have also been made at estimating stature from measurements of percutaneous bones,²⁸ as well as dimensions of the hands, feet and shoe prints.29, 30, 31

It is essential that the forensic application of foot bones such as the metatarsals, which have a good chance of being recovered, be investigated. While numerous studies have been conducted on the morphology of metatarsals from both clinical and paleoanthropological perspective, of which Zipfel³² provided a detailed account, few researchers have investigated the usefulness of metatarsals for forensic purposes.33, 34 Byers et al.³³ made the first and only attempt to date at using the length of metatarsal bones for stature estimation. They used 130 skeletons derived from the Terry Collection at the Smithsonian Institute and Maxwell Museum of Anthropology of the University of New Mexico. Six measurements of metatarsals were used for the derivation of regression equations for estimation of stature in African and European Americans.

Since no study has been conducted on stature estimation from measurements of metatarsals in South Africans, it was the aim of this study to assess the usefulness of the length of metatarsal bones in the estimation of stature of South Africans of European descent and indigenous population groups.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

A total of 226 complete skeletons were selected by a simple random sampling technique from the Raymond A. Dart Collection of human skeletons housed in the School of Anatomical Sciences of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. In the selection process, consideration was given only to the two biggest groups in the collection namely the indigenous South African (ISA) and South African of European descent (SAED) population groups. While different tribes constitute the ISA population

Results

Means and standard deviations for total skeletal height (TSH) and each of the metatarsal measurements for ISA and SAED are presented in Table 1. Males consistently presented with higher mean values compared to females (p ⩽ 0.0001) with regard to TSH and all metatarsal measurements.

Table 2 shows regression equations that can be used in the estimation of stature from individual lengths of metatarsals for each biological group. In the ISA group, moderate positive correlation was obtained between all

Discussion

Trotter and Gleser6, 7 conducted arguably the biggest studies on stature reconstruction. They6, 7 concluded that since regression equations are population and sex-specific, anthropologists should limit the use of such equations to the population and sex groups from which the equations were derived. Many other studies are in agreement with this observation.8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 Contrary to the widely accepted recommendation of Trotter and Gleser,6, 7 Byers et al.³³ presented equations

Conclusion

Lengths of metatarsals showed moderate to high correlation with total skeletal height which indicates a good association between predictor and dependent variables. Standard error of estimate for derived regression equations is lower than those obtained for the skull, fragments of tibia and the calcaneus which shows that metatarsals have a better predictive efficacy in stature estimation compared to these skeletal elements. Since SEE of regression equations derived for intact long bones is lower

Conflict of Interest

None declared.

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank my PhD supervisor, Prof. Paul Manger, for his scholarly advice and comments which have greatly improved the quality of this work. My heartfelt appreciation also goes to Prof. John Maina, Head of the School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand for allowing me access to the Raymond A. Dart Collection.

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Original CommunicationMetatarsals in the estimation of stature in South Africans

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

Conflict of Interest

Acknowledgements

Forensic Sci Int

Homo

Forensic Sci Int

Forensic Sci Int

Forensic Sci Int

Forensic Sci Int

Forensic Sci Int

J Clin Forensic Med

Forensic Sci Int

Forensic Sci Int

J Forensic Leg Med

The impact of economic progress and modernization in medicine on the ossification of hand and wrist

Int J Leg Med

Carpals and epiphyses of radius and ulna as age indicators

Int J Leg Med

Age estimation in children by measurement of open apices in teeth

Int J Leg Med

Estimation of pediatric skeletal age using geometric morphometrics and three dimensional cranial size changes

Int J Leg Med

Estimation of stature from long limb bones of American whites and Negroes

Am J Phys Anthropol

A re-evaluation of estimation of stature based on measurements of stature taken during life and of bones after death

Am J Phys Anthropol

Regression equations for estimating living stature from long limb bones in the South African Negro

S Afr J Sci

Revised equations for estimating living stature from the long bones of the South African Negro

S Afr J Sci

Original Communication
Metatarsals in the estimation of stature in South Africans