Interphalangeal Crease Distance as a Predictor of Stature

Background: Identifying people from fragmentary human remains is frequently required in forensic anthropometry, particularly in circumstances of mass disasters, accidents, or criminal cases where intact bodies are not usually retrieved. Hands are among the body parts most frequently preserved and recovered in such situations. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the right middle finger's interphalangeal crease (IPC) distance can accurately predict a person's height. When conventional full-body measurements are impractical, this non-invasive, reasonably priced technique might be especially helpful. Materials and Method: The study included 100 healthy participants from APG Shimla University. Stature was measured with a measuring tape, and the IPC distance of the right middle finger was measured with a vernier caliper. Each measurement was taken three times. The collected data was evaluated using Microsoft Excel. Using descriptive statistics, paired sample t-tests, and Spearman's rank correlation, the relationship between stature and IPC distance was assessed. Results: According to descriptive statistics, men were slightly taller than women on average and had slightly longer (IPC) distances. Nevertheless, scatter plot studies with low R² values revealed a weak linear association between stature and IPC distance. Spearman's rank correlation indicated a strong positive monotonic relationship for both sexes. Furthermore t-tests confirmed statistically significant gender-based differences in stature; however, the IPC distances did not differ significantly between males and females. Conclusion: According to the study's findings, IPC distance has a correlation with stature and can be a helpful in forensic investigations involving the use of just hand remains because of its affordability, ease of use, and durability, it is a useful supplement to forensic anthropometric methods. It is recommended that future research focus on larger and more diverse populations.