Morphometric Study of Humerus in Southern Indian Population

Abstract

Anthropometry involves measurement of proportions of the human body such as muscles, adipose tissue and bone. The present study  was aimed at determining the humeral lengths segments and comparing it with its entire length of humerus in southern part of Indian  population. This can be helpful in approximating stature of individuals using typical regression equation. We also compared the data obtained with previous studies conducted on various people in the world, which are valuable both forensic and archaeological studies.  One hundred and nineteen fully ossified dried and processed humerus bones (60 right, 59 left humerus) obtained from two medical  colleges in Tamil Nadu state SRM medical college, hospital and research centre and Sri Ramachandra Medical College. The morphometric  detail of the parts of humerus were measured using digital Vanier caliper. The 6 segments’ length precisely, from utmost proximal point  of the head of humerus to the utmost distal point of the circumference of the head as section 1 (Sa-Sb), from the distal point of the  circumference of the head to the convergence of two areas of muscle attachment as section 2 (Sb-Sc), and from the convergence of two  areas of muscle attachment to the deltoid tuberosity as section 3(Hc-Hd), from deltoid tuberosity to upper margin of olecranon fossa as  section 4(Sd-Se), From upper margin of olecranon fossa to the lower margin of the fossa as section 5 (Se-Sf), and from the lower margin  of olecranon fossa to most distal point of trochlea as section 6 (Sf-Sg) and maximum length of humerus were measured to the nearest  millimeter. The values obtained for the distance of each sections were 35.22±3.939mm, 44.53±5.025mm, 66.27±6.805mm,  125.54±11.429mm, 20.51±1.726mm, and 18.51±1.633mm respectively on the left side, making a total of 310.5763±23.257mm. The values obtained on the right distance segments are as fellow 34.48±3.223mm, 47.05±6.31mm, 67.10±6.942mm, 125.54±11.429mm,  20.51±1.726mm and 17.90±2.447mm respectively on the right side, making a total 311.767±23.435mm. In conclusion present study shows  that there is no significant difference obtained for the morphometric measurements between left and right segments except in segment  2.