Adult stature reconstruction from the calcaneus of South Africans of European descent

Abstract

The reconstruction of adult stature from length of limb bones is not a new concept. Population specific regression equations for stature estimation have been derived from these bones in most part of the world. Due to increased violence in major cities of the world resulting in dismemberment of the human body and skeleton, there was a need for derivation of regression equations from fragments of long bones of limbs and segments of the vertebral column. This was achieved with lower accuracies compared to intact limb bones. The calcaneus, the largest of the foot bones, has been used for sex determination in Americans, Europeans and South Africans. Its usefulness in the estimation of stature is not well documented. In this study, Fully’s anatomical method was utilized in the estimation of stature of 85 complete skeletons of South Africans of European descent of known sex and age, obtained from the Raymond A Dart Collection of Human skeletons. Univariate and multivariate regression equations were derived from nine measurements of the calcaneus. Most measurements presented with significantly positive correlation with stature. The resulting standard error of estimate, which is a measure of the accuracy of the equations, compared well with the values that have been recorded for fragments of long bones; thereby making the calcaneus a reliable skeletal element in the estimation of adult stature of South Africans of European descent.