The estimation of stature from the tarsals : enhancing the disaster victim identification process in Thailand using the calcaneus and the talus

Abstract

The impact of climate change is estimated to be particularly severe in Thailand. Therefore, there is an urgent need for population-specific methodologies for the identification of unknown human remains in Thailand. The current research study focuses on the calcaneus and the talus to establish an accurate method of living stature estimation for a contemporary Thai population. Paired calcanei and tali of 232 adult skeletonized individuals (115 males, 117 females), ranging from 19 to 96 years of age were studied from the contemporary Chiang Mai skeletal collection. Nine measurements were collected from each calcaneus: MAXL, MAXH, CFH, BH, MINB, LAL, MIDB, DAFB, DAFL. One measurement, MTAL, was collected from each talus. All measurement variables of the calcaneus and the talus exhibit sexual dimorphism. Regression formulae, generated from other populations, were found not to be accurate predictors of stature when applied to the contemporary Thai population. Comparisons of calcaneal and talar size to other populations were made. There were significant differences for the calcaneus and the talus between the contemporary Thai and comparative populations. Therefore, population-specific regression formulae are necessary to accurately estimate stature in a contemporary Thai population. The results of the current research study will assist in estimating living stature of unknown contemporary Thai individuals, and will be useful in cases such as natural disasters where only fragmented remains are available for examination.