An autopsy based correlation study about developing standards for estimation of stature from foot anthropometry in female population of central India region (Indore, M.P.)

Identification of an individual is very important in criminal cases like assault, murder, rape, disputed paternity, impersonation etc.; and in civil cases like marriage, inheritance, disputed sex, etc. Estimation of stature from extremities and their parts plays an important role in identifying the dead body in forensic examinations. The aim of the present study was to find the correlation between foot anthropometry and stature of an individual and to derive a regression formula to estimate the stature from foot anthropometry in the Central India population. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 250 deceased females of age 21 years and above, brought for postmortem examination to the mortuary of the Forensic Medicine department, M.G.M. Medical College and M.Y. Hospital, Indore (M.P.). The mean right foot length and left foot length was 21.29 ± 1.96 cm and 21.18 ± 1.97 cm, respectively, whereas the mean stature was found to be 156.46 ± 5.43 cm. Mean foot breadth for both right and left foot was found to be 7.75 ± 0.53 cm. In this study, the maximum stature in females was found to be 171.1 cm and the minimum stature was found to be 145.0 cm. The correlation between foot length and stature was found to be a better predictor of stature than foot breadth.

As the first step in forensic analysis is establishing the identity of the person in question, where stature remains one of the primary characteristics of identification, so the findings of the present study are useful for forensic experts and anthropologists.