Diachronic changes in size and shape of human proximal tibia in Central Europe during the latest 1200 years

Publication date: Available online 13 October 2016 Source:HOMO - Journal of Comparative Human Biology Author(s): H. Brzobohatá, V. Krajíček, Z. Horák, P. Sedlak, J. Velemínská During the past twelve centuries, the stature of Central European inhabitants has increased significantly with corresponding changes in the size of lower limb bones. The aim of our study was to determine whether these changes have occurred strictly in relation to size or if the shape of skeletal structures has been altered simultaneously. Diachronic size and shape changes in the proximal part of tibia in a Central European population (Czech Republic) were studied using geometric morphometrics (principal components analysis, Hotelling's test, linear discriminant analysis). The study sample consisted of 183 three-dimensional (3D) models of adult tibiae dating to the early Middle Ages (N=65), early 20th century (N=60), and from a modern Czech population (N=57). A positive secular trend in size manifested only between the two modern Czech populations (the 20th century vs. the 21st century), a time range shorter than one century. By contrast, landmark-based shape analyses revealed significant differences in tibial morphology over the three periods covered in the study. In particular, progressive changes were observed in the position of tibial tuberosity (shifted medially), the inclination of the line connecting tuberosity with anterior edge of the tibial plateau (sloped down), the reshaping of t...

Source: HOMO Journal of Comparative Human Biology - October 13, 2016 Category: Biology Source Type: research