ESTIMATION OF STATURE FROM FINGER MEASUREMENTS AMONG THE POPULATION OF KARNATAKA STATE

Authors

  • Shri Lakshmi K B.Sc. Forensic Science (Honours) Student,Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027
  • Hari Deepthi B.Sc. Forensic Science (Honours) Student, Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027
  • Vikrantsing Taur G B.Sc. Forensic Science (Honours) Student, Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027
  • Tavishi Sridhar B.Sc. Forensic Science (Honours) Student,Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027
  • Hrideek P B.Sc. Forensic Science (Honours) Student, Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027
  • Akhilesh Kallumpurat Assistant Professor Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027
  • Mebin Wilson Thomas Assistant Professor Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027
  • Monica Simon Assistant Professor Department of Forensic Science, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India – 560027

Keywords:

Forensic investigations, forensic applications, Karnataka

Abstract

Forensic investigations often face challenges in identifying corpses when traditional methods are infeasible due to severe body damage. Hence, estimating stature through anthropometric parameters becomes valuable for identification. For forensic applications, this study aims to establish a correlation between finger length and stature in the Karnataka population. Finger lengths from 200 participants (115 females and 85 males) aged 18-30 from Karnataka were measured using vernier calipers, and stature was recorded with anthropometric rods. Participants with finger disabilities were excluded. Each finger was measured three times for precision, and statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software. Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between finger length and stature, with a significance level set at p<0.01. Results showed significant sex differences in height and finger length, with males having higher mean values. Independent sample t-tests revealed statistically significant differences (p<0.001) in finger length measurements between males and females. Pearson correlation coefficients, ranging from 0.58 to 0.66, indicated a moderate positive correlation between finger length and stature. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between finger length

References

1. Chikhalkar BG, Mangaonkar AA, Nanandkar SD, Peddawad RG. (2010). Estimation of stature from measurements of long bones, hand and foot dimensions. J Indian Acad Forensic Med;32(4):329 – 31.

2. Moorthy EN, Zulkifly NR. Regression analysis for stature determination from hand anthropometry of Malaysian Malays for forensic investigation. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law. 2015 Sep 8;5(2). https://doi.org/10.4038/ sljfmsl.v5i2.7753

3. Ibeabuchi NM, Obi-Ojinika C, Ikpa JO, Salawu AA, Aderibigbe Mk. Derivation of Predictive Equations for Stature Reconstruction from Percutaneous Hand Anthropometry Among Adult Nigerians [Internet]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/350820141

4. Habib SR, Kamal NN. Stature estimation from hand and phalanges lengths of Egyptians. J Forensic Leg Med. 2010 Apr;17(3):156–60.

5. Agrawal J, Raichandani L, Kataria SK, Raichandani S. ESTIMATION OF STATURE FROM HAND LENGTH AND LENGTH OF PHALANGES. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences [Internet]. 2013 Dec 10;2(50):9651–6. Available from: https:// doi.org/10.14260/jemds/1672

6. Athfiyatul Fatati, Myrtati D. Artaria. Forensic body height estimation by measuring unsegmented fingers of Javanese in Indonesia [Internet]. Article in Pertanika Journal of Science and Technology. 2018. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/ 326983298

7. Rhiu I, Kim W. Estimation of stature from finger and phalange lengths in a Korean adolescent. J Physiol Anthropol. 2019 Oct 22;38(1).

8. Mojaverrostami S, Mokhtari T, Malekzadeh M, Noori L, Sh K, Ijaz S. Stature Estimation Based on Fingers Anthropometry in Iranian Population [Internet]. Vol. 16, Anatomical Sciences. 2019. Available from: https:/ /www.researchgate.net/publication/368025553

9. Mostafavi SRS, Memarian A, Soltani S, Abdolkarimi L, Taftachi F. Estimating Stature and Gender by the Length of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Fingers of Dominant Hand in Iranian Adults. International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine. 2022;12(1):34718.

10. Katwal B, Shrestha N, Limbu B. Estimation of Stature from Length and Breadth of Left Thumb in Medical Students of a Medical College in Kathmandu, Nepal. Nepal Medical College Journal. 2021 Jul 29;23(2):114– 9.

11. Verghese AJ, Balaraj BM, N PKG. A study of estimation of stature from length of fingers in Mysore. Journal of Forensic Medicine [Internet]. 2010 Jan 1;4(2). Available from: http://www.indianjournals.com/ ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijfmt&volume=4&issue=2&article=005

12. Kumaran MS, Bastia BK, Kumar L, Patel SH, Nimavat K. Stature Estimation from Length of Fingers in Gujarati Population. Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology [Internet]. 2014 Jan 1;8(2):8. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5958/0973-9130.2014.00671.9

13. Debbarma P, Saha N, Momin AD, Singh MM. Estimation of stature from direct length of five digits of hand. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences. 2017 May;16(04):38–40.

14. Krishan K, Kanchan T, Asha NN. Estimation of stature from index and ring finger length in a North Indian adolescent population. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine [Internet]. 2012 Jul 1;19(5):285–90. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2011.12.036

15. Sen J, Kanchan T, Ghosh A, Mondal N, Krishan K. Estimation of stature from lengths of index and ring fingers in a North-eastern Indian population. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine [Internet]. 2014 Feb 1;22:10–5. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.jflm.2013.11.010

16. Raju GM, Shahina S, Dubey S, Vijayanath V. Estimation of stature from index and ring finger length in Davangere district. International Journal of Clinical

Trials [Internet]. 2014 Jan 1;18–21. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5455/2349-3259.ijct20140505

17. Gupta R, Sehrawat SS. Stature Estimation from Index and Ring Finger in Kashmiri Population. Asian Journal of Applied Science and Technology [Internet]. 2020 Jan 1;04(04):21–37. Available from: https://doi.org/ 10.38177/ajast.2020.4403

18. Ghosh K, Bhattacharya P, Maitra S, Chatterjee D, Bandyopadhyay AR. Stature estimation from digit length, bi-acromian and bi-illiac length: a study among two populations from eastern and north eastern India. Forensic Research & Criminology International Journal [Internet]. 2018 Dec 28; Available from: https://doi.org/ 10.15406/frcij.2018.06.00253

19. Pournima, Rajesh JJ, Kumar KMR, Reddy BS, Feula A JM. Stature estimation from length of fingers in South Indian population – A cross sectional study. Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine. 2019 Oct 1;41(4):226–8.

20. Rastogi P, Kanchan T, Menezes RG, Yoganarasimha K. Middle finger length — a predictor of stature in the Indian population. Medicine, Science and the Law [Internet]. 2009 Apr 1;49(2):123–6. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1258/rsmmsl.49.2.123

21. Fating AS. Estimation of Correlation between Length of Middle Finger and Stature in Maharashtra Region. Indian Journal of Anatomy [Internet]. 7(6):581–5. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21088/ ija.2320.0022.7618.1

22. Roy DD. A Research Study on Estimation of Stature from Middle Finger Length in Uttar Pradesh State. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences [Internet]. 2019 Sep 30;8(39):2972–5. Available from: https://doi.org/10.14260/jemds/2019/646

23. Kumar L, Agarwal S, Garg R, Dixit AP. Correlation between Index Finger and Stature in Uttarakhand Population. The Anthropologist [Internet]. 2014 May 1;17(3):1007–9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/ 09720073.2014.11891481

24. Chandra P, Gupta A, Singh P, Kulshreshtha V. A STUDY OF CORRELATION BETWEEN STATURE AND THUMB LENGTH. J Anat Sciences [Internet]. 2016 Jun;24(1):47–51. Available from: http:// www.asiup.in/journals/JUNE-2016/Chap-09-prena.pdf

25. N VK, Karthikeyan A. Estimation of Stature from Length of Thumb in Salem Population. Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology [Internet]. 2019 Jan 1;12(2):142–6. Available from: https://doi.org/ 10.21088/ijfmp.0974.3383.12219.15

26. Wali T, Agarwal S. Estimation of stature and gender from thumb indices: An institutional based study. European Journal of Molecular and Clinical Medicine. 2022;9(3).

27. Hemlata M, Satish K. Estimation of Stature & Gender from Thumb Indices in Indian Population. Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology [Internet]. 2022 Jan 1;16(1). Available from: https:// doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v16i1.17419

28. Sharma R, Dhattarwal SK. Estimation of Stature from Ring Finger Length in Haryanavi Population: An Anthropometric Study. Journal of Medical Sciences and Health [Internet]. 2020 Jun 10;06(01):1–4. Available from: https://doi.org/10.46347/jmsh.2020.v06i01.001

29. Nayak B, Laxmanrao C, Sheikh N. Estimation of stature from the length of the little finger in the population from south India. Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology [Internet]. 2019;12(2). Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ ijfmp.0974.3383.12219.10

30. Asadujjaman Md, Hossain MdG, Rana MdS, Islam Z. Stature estimation from handprint measurements: an application to the medicolegal investigation. Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences [Internet]. 2021 Jan 7;11(1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935- 020-00215-1

31. Kürºad Açikgöz, A., Sinem Balci, R., Göker, P., & Bozkir, M. G. (n.d.). Section: Anatomy Estimation of Stature from Hand Dimensions. https://doi.org/ 10.21276/ijcmr.2020.7.9.28

32. Pearson K. Mathematical contributions to the theory of evolution. V. On the reconstruction of the stature of prehistoric races. Philos Trans R Soc A. 1899;192: 169- 244

33. Danborno B, Adebisi S, Adelaiye A, Ojo S. Estimation of height and weight from the length of second and fourth digits in Nigerians. Internet J Forensic Sci 2008; 3(2).

34. Patel JP, Patel BG, Shah RK, Bhojak NR Desai JN. Estimation of stature from hand length in Gujarat region. NHL J Med Sci 2014; 3(1): 41-44.

35. Agrawal J, Raichandani L, Kataria SK, Raichandani S. Estimation of stature from hand length and length of phalanges. J Evol Med Dent Sci 2013; 2(50): 9651- 56.

36. Laulathaphol P, Tiensuwan M, Riengrojpitak S. Estimation of stature from hand measurements in Thais. SDU Res J 2013; 6(1): 37-47.

37. Ozaslan A, Koç S, Özaslan Ý, Tuðcu H. Estimation of stature from upper extremity. Mil Med. 2006; 171:288– 291.

38. Ozaslan A, Karadayi B, Kolusayin MO, Kaya A, Afsin H. Predictive role of hand and foot dimensions in stature estimation. Rom J Leg Med. 2012; 20:41–46.

39. Monyeki KD, Sekhotha MM. The relationships between height and arm span, mid-upper arm and waist circumferences and sum of four skinfolds in Ellisras rural children aged 8–18 years. Public Health Nutr. 2016;19(7):1195–9.

40. Ibegbu AO, David ET, Hamman WO, Umana UE, Musa SA. Association of hand length with height in Nigerian school children. Journal of Biology and Life Sciences. 2013 Jul 1;4(2):83.

Downloads

Published

2025-02-21

Issue

Vol. 41 No. 2 (2024): Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Jul - Dec) 2024

Section

Original Research Paper

How to Cite

ESTIMATION OF STATURE FROM FINGER MEASUREMENTS AMONG THE POPULATION OF KARNATAKA STATE . (2025). Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 41(2), 76–82. Retrieved from https://journals.acspublisher.com/index.php/jfmt/article/view/20915