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Morphometric sex differentiation of the proximal and distal adult human tibia
Hill, Cameron
Hill, Cameron
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t26015_Hill.pdf
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2026-05
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The adult human tibia, like other components of the skeleton, can be used to estimate the identity of an individual using morphometric methods. Previous studies suggest the total maximum length of the tibia is the best measurement to use when determining the sex of an individual in forensic and bioarchaeological contexts. The present study explores the reliability of various measurements of the articular surfaces of the tibia in order to estimate whether the tibia belongs to a male or female adult. This study also compares the utility of combined measurements from the proximal and distal epiphyses to determine which may be used with more reliability. The researcher initially measured 11 features on 98 adult human tibiae, including 49 males and 49 females, then used the results to determine which specific measurement showed the strongest statistical significance and discriminating power to differentiate between males and females. These conclusions were then applied in a blind test in order to establish their utility as an identifying osteometric trait. Results of this study indicate that the proximal articular facets on the tibia show more utility in sex differentiation, suggesting that those measurements should be prioritized over the distal articular facets. The measurements that result in the highest levels of accuracy are the proximal breadth, medial facet transverse diameter, and plafond anterior-posterior width. When applied through a discriminant function, the accuracy of these three measurements is 95%. The differentiation between male and female tibiae allows one to both establish an identifying factor of skeletal remains in forensic and archaeological contexts and ensure a better quality of patient care in orthopedic contexts.
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Thesis (M.A.)-- Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Anthropology
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Wichita State University
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© Copyright 2026 by Cameron Hill
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