Abstract

The dimensions of the femur are important in forensic anthropology for human identification and in orthopedic surgery for diagnosis and treatment planning. Femoral dimensions vary among different populations. Aim: This study aimed to determine the morphometry, platymeric index, and robusticity index of the human femur in Nigeria. Materials and Methods:. A total of 142 (68 right and 74 left) normal, dry, adult human femora were purposively sampled from the anatomy bone collections of various Nigerian universities. Measurements were taken using an osteometric board, tape line, and digital sliding vernier caliper. The parameters measured in millimeters (mm) included Maximum Length (ML), Proximal Breadth (PB), Proximal Transverse Diameter (PTD), Proximal Sagittal Diameter (PSD), Middle Transverse Diameter (MTD), Middle Sagittal Diameter (MSD), Middle Circumference (MC), and Distal Breadth (DB). The Platymeric Index (PI) and Robusticity Index (RI) were derived from these measurements. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 and expressed as mean ± standard deviation. An independent t-test was used to compare mean values, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean ML was 478.19 ± 30.68 mm for the right femur and 472.77 ± 28.56 mm for the left. PB was 94.28 ± 6.79 mm (right) and 92.18 ± 6.64 mm (left). PTD was 29.43 ± 2.58 mm (right) and 29.03 ± 3.51 mm (left). PSD was 27.04 ± 2.37 mm (right) and 26.13 ± 2.50 mm (left). MTD was 26.79 ± 2.52 mm (right) and 26.46 ± 2.46 mm (left). MSD was 29.56 ± 2.89 mm (right) and 29.02 ± 2.86 mm (left). MC was 89.24 ± 6.86 mm (right) and 87.65 ± 6.70 mm (left). DB was 80.49 ± 5.78 mm (right) and 78.90 ± 5.44 mm (left). PI was 92.17 ± 7.53 (right) and 90.67 ± 9.44 (left), while RI was 11.79 ± 0.69 (right) and 11.74 ± 0.74 (left). Conclusion: The femur is the longest bone in the human body, located in the thigh. When its maximum length increases other body measurements —such as height, limb length, or other bone dimensions — also tend to increase.