A study of correlation of hand and foot dimensions for personal identification in mass disasters.

The identification of isolated extremities is an issue of great significance in the investigation of the identity of victims of mass disasters and fatal assaults. In forensic investigations, the dimensions of the hand and foot have been used for determination of sex, age and stature of an individual. However, the data on correlation within and between hand and foot dimensions are very limited. The present research aims at analysing the anthropometrical relationships within and between hand and foot dimensions. The study was conducted on 240 Rajputs (120 males and 120 females) from North India. The results showed a significant correlation between and within the dimensions of hands and feet. Multiplication factors, linear and multiple regression models are derived to reconstruct the hand and foot even when a single dimension is available from the extremities. Besides medico-legal implications, the study may have significance in plastic and reconstructive surgery. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.