Foot arch pattern and stature estimation from footprint using students of the University of Port Harcourt

Abstract

Stature or body height is one of the most important and useful anthropometric parameter that determine the physical identity of an individual. Identification of an individual is the mainstay in forensic investigations. Foot lengths have been used for the determination of sex, age and stature of an individual. The present study examined the foot arch pattern and the relationship between stature and foot length among students at the University of Port Harcourt. Stature and foot prints of 250 subjects comprising 125 males and 125 females falling within the age range of 18-30 years were measured; stature was measured from the vertex of the head to the floor maintaining the anatomical position and Frankfurt plane, foot length was obtained from the foot print by measuring the distance between acropodion and the pternion. Foot arch patterns were obtained by comparing the arch patterns from the foot print with the standard foot arch patterns. Statistical analyses using with respect to sexual dimorphism was highly significant (p<0.05); while there was no statistically difference with respect to bilateral differences between the left and the right foot in all measurement (p>0.05). The regression formulae for males are (H for left foot = 4.55(LFL) + 56.0. H for right foot = 4.45(RFL) + 56.3).While females are (H = 3.80(LFL) + 72.7. H = 3.78(RFL) + 73.61). The correlation coefficients between stature and foot length were found to be positive and statistically significant (p<0.05) as it tends towards one (0.83 in males and 0.74 in females). This high correlation coefficient observed between stature and foot length in males and female indicates that foot length provides a very high reliability and accuracy in estimating stature of an unidentified male or female.