Sex determination and stature estimation from anthropometric measurements of lower extremities

Aim: The anthropometric technique has been used to estimate stature and gender for over a hundred years. With the increasing frequency of mass disasters, determining the stature and gender of an isolated lower extremity has created problems in investigating the identity of some victims. The aim of our study is to analyze the anthropometric relationship between lower extremity dimensions with stature and sex. Matherial and Method: Our study was carried out on 113 students, 55 male and 58 female, who were students of İnönü University Faculty of Medicine. Stature and weight were measured in the standard anatomical position with the head in the Frankfort Horizontal Plane, with a 0,1 cm precision stadiometer. Trochanteric height, thigh length, leg length, lower leg length, foot height, foot length, and foot breadth were measured in both lower extremities. Vernier caliper, osteometric board and height scale were used in the measurements. The data were analyzed in SPSS 26.00 program. Results: It was observed that all lower extremity dimensions in men were significantly larger than in women. In the sex determination analysis, all lower extremity measurements were found to be statistically significant. Right and left foot widths were 91.2-92% respectively, and right and left foot measurements together provided sex determination at a rate of 94.7-95.6% respectively. In the stature estimation analysis from trochanteric height was obtained with an standart error of estimation of 3,1 cm with a correlation of 93-94%. Conclusion: With formulas obtained from lower extremity measurements, sex determination was achieved with an accuracy of 95% and stature estimation with an error of 3.1 cm. When gender discrimination was made, the estimation of height from the trochanteric stature was possible with an error of 2,79 cm in men and 2,7 cm in women. Keywords: Lower Extremities, Anthropometry, Gender and Stature