Forensic Medicine of the Lower Extremity

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiii

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2. Analysis, Development, and Identification Markers

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. The Decomposition of Human Remains

      • Robert H. Powers

      Pages 3-15

   3. Forensically Significant Skeletal Anatomy

      • Nancy E. Tatarek, Dorothy E. Dean

      Pages 17-31

   4. Normal Osteology of the Knee Joint and Markers of Stress and Injury

      • Emily A. Craig

      Pages 33-68

   5. Anthropological Analysis of the Lower Extremity

      • Nancy E. Tatarek, Paul W. Sciulli

      Pages 69-98

   6. Estimating Age at Death

      • Douglas H. Ubelaker

      Pages 99-112

   7. Radiology of the Lower Extremity

      • B. G. Brogdon

      Pages 113-237

3. Trauma Analysis and Reconstruction

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 239-239

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   2. Injuries to Children

      • Jonathan I. Groner

      Pages 241-252

   3. Skeletal Trauma Analysis of the Lower Extremity

      • Alison Galloway, Lauren Zephro

      Pages 253-277

   4. Biomechanics of Impact Injury

      • David J. Porta

      Pages 279-310

   5. Injuries of the Thigh, Knee, and Ankle as Reconstructive Factors in Road Traffic Accidents

      • Grzegorz Teresiński

      Pages 311-342

   6. Biomechanical Analysis of Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents

      • Scott D. Batterman, Steven C. Batterman

      Pages 343-355

4. Foot Identification Case Studies, Pedal Evidence, and Ongoing Research

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 357-357

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   2. “The Game is Afoot!”

      • Julie Mather Saul, Frank P. Saul

      Pages 359-374

   3. The Role of Feet and Footwear in Medicolegal Investigations

      • John A. DiMaggio

      Pages 375-400

   4. Ongoing Research Into Barefoot Impression Evidence

      • Robert B. Kennedy

      Pages 401-413

5. Back Matter

   Pages 415-421

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Publius Syrus stated back in 42 B.C., “You cannot put the same shoe on every foot.” (Maxim 596) Though written long before the advent of forensic science, Syrus’ maxim summarizes the theme of Forensic Medicine of the Lower Extremity: Human Identification and Trauma Analysis of the Thigh, Leg, and Foot. Put simply, the lower extremity is a tremendously variable anatomic region. This variation is beneficial to forensic experts. Differences in the leg and foot can be used to establish individual identity. Analysis of damage to the lower limb can be used to reconstruct antemortem, perimortem, and postmortem trauma. As a forensic anthropologist, I analyze cases involving decomposed, burned, m- mified, mutilated, and skeletal remains. Many of the corpses I examine are incomplete. Occasionally, I receive nothing but the legs and feet; a lower torso dragged from a river; a foot recovered in a city park; dismembered drug dealers in plastic bags; victims of bombings and airline disasters; and the dead commingled in common graves. Though the leg and foot contain much that is useful in forensic analysis, before this publication, investigators faced a twofold problem. Little research that focused on the lower extremity was available in the literature, and the existing research was published in diverse sources, making its location and synthesis a daunting task.

• anatomy
• ankle
• biomechanics
• foot
• knee
• radiology
• trauma

From the reviews:

"...a major step forward, mainly in the radiological, traumatological and biomechanical chapters...it will greatly enhance day to day work for experts in the specific field of forensic medicine." - International Journal of Legal Medicine

"...useful reference text for any agency involved in identification, accident reconstruction, and footprint identification." - Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal

"This is the latest book in the ever-growing Forensic Science and Medicine series, published by Humana under the overall editorship of Steve Karch. … It is broken down into several neat chapters … which are well written, well illustrated and complement more general texts efficiently. … this book could be a useful addition to the forensic pathologist’s library." (Dr S Kolar, American College of Physicians News, Spring, 2006)

• Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston

  Jeremy Rich

• Office of the Medical Examiner, County of Summit, Akron

  Dorothy E. Dean

• Division of Scientific Services, Controlled Substances/Toxicology Laboratory, Connecticut Department of Public Safety, Hartford

  Robert H. Powers

Policies and ethics