BICONDYLAR ANGLE OF FEMUR IN SOUTH INDIAN POPULATION – AN ANALYTICAL STUDY
Author: Shanta Chandrasekaran, Deepti Shastri
Category: Anatomy
Abstract:
The bicondylar angle of femur is an angle between the axis of shaft of the femur and a line perpendicular to the infracondylar plane. This angle is unique to humans due to their erect posture. Measuring of this angle helps in identifying sex of the bone and has a role in reconstructive orthopedic surgeries, primatology and paleoanthropology. This angle is zero at birth and starts developing only when the child walks. This angle is more in females due to their wider pelvis and short stature. Racial and regional variations are noted in this angle. Number of studies have been done on the bicondylar angle of the femur in human anatomy, primatology and paleoanthropology. But there is no previous study on South Indian adult femora, hence this study is undertaken to measure the bicondylar angle of femur and to compare with different regions of the country. This angle was measured in 204 South Indian adult femora. The mean bicondylar angle of male and femalewas 8.53 and 10.16 respectively. The bicondylar angle exhibited sexual dimorphism with stastically significant higher value for female femora. This angle was higher when compared to North Indian population and almost similar to NorthWest Indian population.
Keywords: Bicondylar angle, Sexual Dimorphism, Obliquity of femoral shaft, Femur.
