Hand index classifications of some selected male in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Anthropometric data has numerous usage, and differs from different populations, mostly based on geographical location. The aims of this study were to obtain the hand anthropometric data of the some male locals in Ilorin, a North Central Nigerian city, use this data to estimate the average hand index of these people so as to determine the standard hand index classification they belong to, and to compare the results with some previous works in Nigeria and some other parts of globe. Eighty (80) locals participated willingly. For each, the hand length and handbreadth for both the right hand and the left hand were taken. The hand index for each of them was calculated from the data collected. The result (mean+standard deviation) obtained gave the right hand length, left hand length, right handbreadth, and left handbreadth to be 19.96±0.76, 19.98±0.76, 8.03±0.31, and 7.93±0.3 respectively. The average hand index for combination of both the right hand and left hand for the hand length and handbreadth was estimated to be 39.96±0.4, which falls under the hyperdolichocheri hand index group. This study has established a standard value for hand dimension for both the right hand and left hand of local population, which will be relevance in ergodesign applications of several hand tools. Also, it may be useful in forensic investigation and in the medical field.