Function Modifies Structure: an Experimental Analysis of Talar Facets and Extension in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh

The reconstruction of bones can tell a story about an individual lifestyle and the behaviours they practiced. Activities in an individual's life can produce specific skeletal markers that are related to repetitive activities associated with a particular physical activities or postures. Squatting is a good example of a behaviour producing skeletal markers on the bones, specifically, the neck of the talus (squatting facets) and its trochlear surface (trochlear extensions). Individual populations exhibit different incidences of these modifications that reflect their lifestyle and behaviour. The talus bone collected from Department of Anatomy of GSL Medical College, Rajamundry and Konaseema Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Foundation, Amalapuram were used to study modifications of talus bone with respect to habitual squatting in this region of East Godavari region of Andhra Pradesh. 90 bones (45 right and 45 left) were examined and analysis of the data indicates that majority of talus (62.2%) did not show any facet or extension; amongst the modifications, medial trochlear extension occurred most frequently (23.3%) followed by lateral squatting facet (6.7%), lateral trochlear extension (5.6%) and medial squatting facet (2.2%). There is a decline in the number of squatting facets when compared to the other studies; this difference may be because of study in different population or difference in life style.