Sexual differences of the calcaneus of the human foot accordingly to the data of the directly osteometry

The diagnosis of the sex is one of the main points of forensic medical and criminalistics research. The measurements of osteometric parameters of bones of the additional skeleton of the lower limb according to many authors provide valuable material for this. The aim of this study was to determine the variability and sexual quantitative differences of osteometric parameters of bones of the human foot. Materials for the study were 57 cases of observation (16 women and 41 men). The direct osteometry made by using electronic caliper type with a digital reading device and an accuracy class 1 until 0.01 mm. In this study was determined average values and variability of 14 osteometric parameters. Statistically significant sex differences was detected for the following osteometric parameters of calcanei: its length, maximum length, the length of the back, the width of the sustentaculum tali, calcaneal body height and the height of the calcaneal tuber, as well as physical indicators of the bones volume and its weight and bone density. The possibility of using the detected differences as criteria for the diagnosis of the skeletal sex is discussed.