East African Scholars Journal of Medical Sciences
Abbreviated Key Title: East African Scholars J Med Sci
ISSN: 2617-4421 (Print) & ISSN: 2617-7188 (Online)
Published By East African Scholars Publisher, Kenya
Volume-6 | Issue-5 | May-2023 | DOI: 10.36349/easms.2023.v06i05.008
*Corresponding Author: John Nwolim Paul 186
Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria
Original Research Article
Stature Estimation of Ikwerre Students in Rivers State University
Using Middle Finger Length
Kenneth Shelu Ordu
1
, John Nwolim Paul
1*
, Amaka Azubuike Ogba
2
, Leesi Sapira-Ordu
3
, Anelechi Kenneth Madume
4
,
Chioma Akunnaya Ohanenye
5
, Michael Manuchimso Morgan
1
1
Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria
2
Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University,
Nigeria
3
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University,
Nigeria
4
Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Nigeria
5
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rhema University, Nigeria
Article History
Received: 17.04.2023
Accepted: 24.05.2023
Published: 29.05.2023
Journal homepage:
https://www.easpublisher.com
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Abstract: Background: The basic need for investigating the damaged remains
is to create a biological profile that matches, resembles, and identifies the
individual by estimating the age, gender, and stature of the remains. This profile
serves to increase the chances of identification and investigation of the cause of
death. The study aimed at estimating the stature of Ikwerre students at Rivers
State University using middle finger length. Materials and Methods: Standing
height and middle finger length of 267 subjects were measured using a digital
stadiometer and digital vernier calliper, respectively. Statistical analysis,
employing the t-test, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis, was carried
out with the aid of SPSS version 23.0. Results and Discussions: Results showed
that all parameters investigated were higher in males (P <0.05) and that the
correlations between middle finger lengths and stature were significant in both
genders; no significant difference was found between the left and right middle
finger lengths in the study population. Conclusion: The study concludes that it
is possible to estimate the stature of an unknown Ikwerre student from the
length of the right and left middle fingers. This study has demonstrated its
application in identification, especially in cases of accidents with dismembered
body parts. This study is recommended to forensic experts, anatomists,
physicians, medical practitioners, and the government of Rivers State for use as
a reference for other studies.
Keywords: Stature Estimation, Ikwerre Students, Rivers State University,
Middle Finger Length.
Copyright © 2023 The Author(s): This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
License (CC BY-NC 4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial use provided the original
author and source are credited.
INTRODUCTION
Height has been described as a polygenic trait
with a high degree of heritability [1]. Stature, also
referred to as "standing height," is the most commonly
employed anthropometric dimension. It is employed by
anthropologists to measure an individual's physique
quantitatively, and by using this technique, they can
access an individual's growth as well as development
[2].
The Concept of Recumbent Height and Length and
Standing Height (Stature)
Over time, an insight into the basic difference
and relationship between a person's recumbent length as
compared to their stature (standing height) has gained
significant interest in many journals [3], whereas
"diurnal variation" has suffered a minor interest from
the research and publishing societies. "Standing
Height," or stature, is the distance or length measured
from the floor to the vertex of the head when an
individual stands erect and the head aligns in the
horizontal Frankfurt plane [4].
Recumbent height or length, or crown-heel
length, is the height of a person in a supine position
with their heads aligned in the vertical Frank-furt plane
[5]. While stature is a very important dimension in
anthropometry for considering height, recumbent height