Measurement of Long Bones of Southern Minas Gerais, Brazil: Anthropometric Study

Abstract

This study aims to estimate the main measures in long bones of Southern Brazilians adults, and to compare them with those of other ethnicities already cataloged in literature. The measurements were made with an anthropometric ruler and a digital caliper, according to a specific protocol. For this, being the humerus, radius, ulna, femur and tibia (50 specimes of each bone) in which some parameters were measured that allow comparing with existing data in literature. The data shown the mean (cm) and the standard deviation of long bone measured. Femurs are: ML = 46.41 ± 2.35, EW = 7.84 ± 0.57 and HD = 4.43 ± 0.47; Humerus: ML = 33.52 ± 1.45, EW = 6.04 ± 0.39, HD = 4.48 ± 0.24; radios: ML = 26.24 ± 1.51 and APD = 1.58 ± 0.14; ulna: ML = 27.9 ± 1.41 and APD = 1.67 ± 0.10; and tibias: ML = 38.76 ± 2.21, DEW = 5.03 ± 0.38 and DAP = 4.99 ± 0.38. According to results obtained in this study, it is possible to conclude that the values used by forensic anthropology for identification of Southern Brazilian long bones, such as humerus, radius, ulna and tibia, with exception of femurs, do not in fact represent any values already established for some ethnic groups, since the Brazilians presented their own pattern, which was different from the European standard already classified.