Stature Estimation by Percutaneous Measurement of Length of Clavicle

Anthropometric study of bones is of high significance as it provides important information regarding race, sex, age and stature of a person. Estimation of stature helps in identification of an individual. Stature estimation of an individual is easier in a living subject as it is usually measured as standing height of the individual, however difficulty arises when only fragmentary remains are available. Various studies have been conducted to estimate stature from long bones. Hence, the present study aims to estimate stature from percutaneous measurement of length of clavicle on which little data is available.

To correlate stature and obtain regression formula in relation to percutaneous length of clavicle

The present cross-sectional study was done on 150 undergraduate medical students from 15.7.2016 to 15.7.2017 at MMMC&H, Solan, Himachal Pradesh after taking permission from Institutional Ethical Committee. The data was tabulated and statistically analysed using SPSS version 21 with p value less than 0.05 significant.

A positive correlation was found between the length of clavicle and the estimated stature. A linear regression formula was derived separately for males and females for the estimation of stature from the length of clavicle.

It is possible, with reasonable accuracy, the stature of a deceased person whose only clavicle bone is available by using the data and regression formulae derived from the present study.