Effectiveness of equations for the prediction of stature from foot measurements in the Eastern Slovak population

Eva Petrejčíková; Michaela Zigová; Jana Gaľová; Soňa Kalafutová; Marcela Pavlíčková; Lesana Kmeťová

doi:10.18778/1898-6773.89.3.03

Authors

Eva Petrejčíková Department of Biology, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, Prešov, Slovak Republic https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7575-4825
Michaela Zigová Department of Biology, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, Prešov, Slovak Republic https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5398-3205
Jana Gaľová Department of Biology, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, Prešov, Slovak Republic https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8746-741X
Soňa Kalafutová Department of Technical Disciplines in Health Care, Faculty of Health Care, University of Prešov, Prešov, Slovak Republic https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3270-1157
Marcela Pavlíčková Institute of Control and Informatization of Production Processes, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, Košice, Slovak Republic https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4929-0649
Lesana Kmeťová Department of Biology, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, Prešov, Slovak Republic

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1898-6773.89.3.03

Keywords:

anthropometry, correlation, estimation, foot morphology, regression equation

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Stature is one of the key characteristics for establishing personal identity, particularly in forensic investigations. One of the methods for its estimation is based on a mathematical correlation between foot dimensions and body height.

STUDY AIMED
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various regression equations based on foot measurements for stature estimation in the Eastern Slovak population and to develop new population-specific equations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 200 individuals (100 males and 100 females) aged over 18 years from Eastern Slovakia were analysed. Stature, foot length, and foot breadth were measured using standard anthropometric methods. Six previously published regression equations were tested and compared with newly derived models.

RESULTS
Our findings confirmed the presence of statistically significant sexual dimorphism in measured foot dimensions. Bilateral asymmetry was confirmed for foot breadth but not for foot length. A strong, positive, statistically significant relationship was found between foot length and stature, particularly in females. The accuracy of stature estimation varied depending on the applied regression approach, while newly developed models demonstrated improved predictive performance.

CONCLUSION
Foot dimensions, especially foot length, represent reliable predictors of stature. The results demonstrated that regression equations derived from other populations do not provide uniformly accurate stature estimates, highlighting the need to develop population-specific regression models to ensure reliable forensic stature estimation.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ashizawa, K., Kumakura, C., Kusumoto, A., & Narasaki, S. (1997). Relative foot size and shape to general body size in Javanese, Filipinas and Japanese with special reference to habitual footwear types. Annals of Human Biology, 24(2), 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014469700004862

Bagga, A. (2013). Age changes in some linear measurements and secular trend in height in adult indian women. Acta Biologica Szegediensis, 57, 51–58.

Cyplík, W., & Chojak, M. (2010). Szacowanie wzrostu na podstawie długości odbitki stopy i buta w odniesieniu do populacji polskiej. In K. Borkowski (Ed.), Kryminalistyczna identyfikacja śladów stóp. Wydawnictwo Centralnego Laboratorium Kryminalistycznego Policji Instytutu Badawczego.

Danborno, B., & Elukpo, A. (2007). Sexual dimorphism in hand and foot length, indices, stature-ratio and relationship to height in Nigerians. The Internet Journal of Forensic Science, 3(1).

Davies, C. M., Hackman, L., & Black, S. M. (2014). The foot in forensic human identification - a review. Foot (Edinburgh, Scotland), 24(1), 31–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foot.2013.12.001

Feix, G. (1965). Kleines Lexikon für Kriminalisten. Ministerium des Inneren.

García-Mora, S., Regife-Fernández, L., Tovaruela-Carrión, N., Márquez, M. J. M., Vázquez-Castro, M., Alvárez-Cordero, J., Correa-Rodriguez, R., & Castro-Méndez, A. (2025). Forensic stature estimation: a systematic review of the correlation between footprints and individual height. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, 22(1), 363–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-025-01110-8

Hansen, T. M., Stavem, K., & Rand, K. (2022). Sample size and model prediction accuracy in EQ-5D-5L valuation studies: Expected out-of-sample accuracy based on resampling with different sample sizes and alternative model specifications. MDM Policy & Practice, 7(1), 23814683221083839. https://doi.org/10.1177/23814683221083839

Hemy, N., Flavel, A., Ishak, N. I., & Franklin, D. (2013). Estimation of stature using anthro-pometry of feet and footprints in a Western Australian population. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 20(5), 435–441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2012.12.008

Hisham, S., Mamat, C. R., & Ibrahim, M. A. (2012). Regression analysis for stature estimation from foot anthropometry in Malaysian Chinese. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 44(4), 333–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/00450618.2012.673637

Hitka, M., Joščák, P., Lorincová, S., & Balážová, Ž. (2018). Bed size, quality sleep and occupational safety: An investigation of students at Slovak universities. In Occupational health and safety: A multi-regional perspective. InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75533

Igbigbi, P. S., Ominde, B. S., & Adibeli, C. F. (2018). Anthropometric dimensions of hand and foot as predictors of stature: a study of two ethnic groups in Nigeria. Alexandria Journal of Medicine, 54(4), 611–617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajme.2018.11.002

Jee, Y. H., & Baron, J. (2016). The Biology of Stature. The Journal of Pediatrics, 173, 32–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.02.068

Kanchan, T., Krishan, K., Sharma, A., & Menezes, R. G. (2010). A study of correlation of hand and foot dimensions for personal identification in mass disasters. Forensic Science International, 199(1–3), 112. e1–112.e1126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2010.03.002

Karaddi, S., Suntnoore, D., Garampalli, S. S., Mugadlimath, A., & Hiremath, R. (2013). Estimation of stature by foot length in males. International Journal of Advanced Biological and Biomedical Research, 4, 443– 447. https://doi.org/10.7439/ijbar.v4i7.400

Karmalkar, A. S., & Nikam, V. R. (2021). Prediction of stature from long bones versus hand and foot measurements: A comparative study of the Kolhapur population. The National medical journal of India, 34(3), 154– 157. https://doi.org/10.25259/NMJI_79_20

Kim, W., Kim, Y. M., & Yun, M. H. (2018). Estimation of stature from hand and foot dimensions in a Korean population. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 55, 87–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2018.02.011

Kirchengast S. (2014). Human sexual dimorphism – a sex and gender perspective. Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur, 71(1–2), 123–133. https://doi.org/10.1127/0003-5548/2014/0376

Kouchi M. (2003). Inter-generation differences in foot morphology: aging or secular change? Journal of Human Ergology, 32(1), 23–48.

Krauss, I., Grau, S., Mauch, M., Maiwald, C., & Horstmann, T. (2008). Sex-related differences in foot shape. Ergonomics, 51(11), 1693–1709. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140130802376026

Krishan K. (2008). Estimation of stature from footprint and foot outline dimensions in Gujjars of North India. Forensic Science International, 175(2–3), 93–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.05.014

Krishan, K., Kanchan, T., & DiMaggio, J. A. (2015). Emergence of forensic podiatry – A novel sub-discipline of forensic sciences. Forensic Science International, 255, 16–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.06.012

Krishan, K., & Sharma, A. (2007). Estimation of stature from dimensions of hands and feet in a North Indian population. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 14(6), 327–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcfm.2006.10.008

Luo, G., Houston, V. L., Mussman, M., Garbarini, M., Beattie, A. C., & Thongpop, C. (2009). Comparison of male and female foot shape. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 99(5), 383–390. https://doi.org/10.7547/0990383

Mittal, M., Gupta, P., Kalra, S., Bantwal, G., & Garg, M. K. (2021). Short Stature: Un-derstanding the stature of ethnicity in height determination. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 25(5), 381–388. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijem.ijem_197_21

Ozaslan, A., Karadayi, B., Kolusayin, M., Kaya, A., & Afsin, H. (2012). Predictive role of hand and foot dimensions in stature estimation. Romanian Journal of Legal Medicine, 20, 41–46. https://doi.org/10.4323/rjlm.2012.41

Ozden, H., Balci, Y., Demirüstü, C., Turgut, A., & Ertugrul, M. (2005). Stature and sex estimate using foot and shoe dimensions. Forensic Science International, 147(2-3), 181–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.09.072

Parlak, M. E., Özkul, B. B., Oruç, M., & Celbiş, O. (2024). Sex and stature estimation from anthropometric measurements of the foot: linear analyses and neural network approach on a Turkish sample. Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences, 14(18). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41935-024-00391-4

Porada, V., & Straus, J. (2018). Forensic biomechanics: Criminalistic and forensic applications (1st ed.). Vysoká škola finanční a správní. SCIENCEpress. https://www.vsfs.cz/soubory/eupress/online/porada_straus_forensic_biomechan-ics_2018.pdf

Putti, A. B., Arnold, G. P., & Abboud, R. J. (2010). Foot pressure differences in men and women. Foot and Ankle Surgery, 16(1), 21–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fas.2009.03.005

Reel, S., Rouse, S., Vernon, W., & Doherty, P. (2012). Estimation of stature from static and dynamic footprints. Forensic Science International, 219(1–3), 283.e1–283. e2835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.11.018

Romphothong, M., & Traithepchanapai, P. (2019). Sex determination through anthropometry of hand and foot in Thais. Chulalongkorn Medical Journal, 63(1), Article 8. https://doi.org/10.58837/CHULA.CMJ.63.1.7

Saxena, A., Rathi, K., Bharti, R., Kakkar, A., & Rastogi, P. (2023). Estimation of stature from foot anthropometry amongst population of national capital region. Seybold Report, 18(11), 372–377. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10153240

Sen, J., & Ghosh, S. (2008). Estimation of stature from foot length and foot breadth among the Rajbanshi: an indigenous population of North Bengal. Forensic Science International, 81(1–3), 55.e1–55. e556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.08.009

Singh, B., Krishan, K., Kaur, K., & Kanchan, T. (2019). Stature estimation from different combinations of foot measurements using linear and multiple regression analysis in a North Indian male population. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 62, 25–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2018.12.007

Straus, J. (2001). Aplikace forenzní biomechaniky. Police History.

Strnadová, H. (2014). Vybrané parametry lokomoce a chodidla vzhledem k tělesné výšce jedince (Master’s thesis). Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University.

Titlbach, Z., Titlbachová, S., & Štěchová, D. (1971). Zjištění tělesné výšky osob ze stop nohou. Československá kriminalistika, 3, 223–239.

Ulijaszek, S. J. (1998). Immunocompetence. In S. J. Ulijaszek, F. E. Johnston, & M. A. Preece (Eds.), The Cambridge encyclopedia of human growth and development (pp. 340–342). Cambridge University Press.

Uhrová, P., Beňuš, R., Masnicová, S., Obertová, Z., Kramárová, D., Kyselicová, K., Dörnhöferová, M., Bodoriková, S., & Neščáková, E. (2015). Estimation of stature using hand and foot dimensions in Slovak adults. Legal Medicine, 17(2), 92–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.legalmed.2014.10.005

Vallois, H. V. (1965). Anthropometric techniques. Current Anthropology, 6, 127–144.

Worldata.info. (2025). Average height and weight by country. https://www.worldda-ta.info/average-bodyheight.php

Wunderlich, R. E., & Cavanagh, P. R. (2001). Gender differences in adult foot shape: im-plications for shoe design. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33(4), 605–611. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200104000-00015

Xiong, S., Goonetilleke, R. S., Zhao, J., Li,W., & Witana, C. P. (2009). Foot deformations under different load-bearing conditions and their relationships to stature and body weight. Anthropological Science, 117(2), 77–88. https://doi.org/10.1537/ase.070915