Study of Elbow Prints and Its Correlation with Body Mass Index: A First-of-Its-Kind

Background: This study aims to determine whether elbow prints can be useful in forensic analysis and whether they could potentially replace thumbprints in biometrics. Objective: Our objective was to determine any similarities and differences between the elbow prints of different individuals and to correlate the elbow print with the individual's BMI (Body Mass Index). Settings & Design: The study was cross-sectional, and the sample size was 100. Material and Methods: Using an ink pad, the elbow region of the subject was smeared liberally with blue ink. The subject was told to flex the elbow completely and rest their elbow perpendicularly on the horizontally laid butter sheet paper. Additionally, height and weight of the subject were measured, and the BMI was calculated. Results: In the study, no correlation was seen between the age, sex, or the BMI with the shape of the elbow prints. Conclusion: Elbow prints could help in national registry maintenance and biometrics if future studies are done on the crease pattern. If different shapes of the elbow prints are available at a crime scene, then it might be decisive. However, in the presence of a single shape of elbow print, it might not be. Therefore, future studies on the elbow crease pattern need to be undertaken. KEYWORDS: Elbow, Prints, Forensic, Classification, Legal.