Use of Arm-Span and Foot Length for Estimation of Height of The Person

Abstract

Many characteristics can be used to identify a person. Age, sex and stature are the primary characteristics for the identification of an individual. However, in cases where the dead body is highly decomposed or mutilated/attacked by animals; in cases of mass disasters, etc., where only part(s) of body is/are available, anthropometry becomes an important aid for identification of such dead bodies. Several studies have reported the effectiveness of using various body parameters in predicting body height and the arm span was found to be the most reliable. Foot length is another anthropometric measurement that can be helpful in estimating the stature. In this study, the correlation between the arm-span/foot length and the standing height of both males and females was found to be an accurate predictor of the stature and regression formulae were derived for calculating the height of male or female with the arm-span or foot length. It was found that deviation of the height calculated using arm-span from the actual height of both males (± 3.06 cm) and females (± 2.6 cm) were found to be less as compared to the height calculated using the foot length both in same group of males (± 5.5 cm) and females (± 4.9 cm).

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