Determination of normal calf and ankle values among medical students

Abstract

The current study was undertaken to determine the mean values of surface measurements from right and left calves and ankles. These measurements were taken from 150 second-year medical students (75 women and 75 men, ages 18 to 23 years) from Cukurova University in Turkey using a flexible standard measuring tape. The mean values for calf circumference, length of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle, distance between the inferior border of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle and the medial malleolus of tibia, and ankle circumference were analyzed. The observations presented in the report have defined anatomic parameters that need to be taken into consideration when cosmetic surgical procedures are performed in the calf and ankle area for this population. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.