The anatomical method is considered the most accurate stature estimation method, but
investigation has shown that it continuously underestimates stature. This underestimation is
believed to be related to the use of universal soft tissue correction factors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of the soft tissue correction factors in a living population of
Black South African females and to subsequently calculate a new soft tissue correction factor,
specific for stature estimation in this population group. Thirty Black South African adult females
voluntarily participated in this study and underwent a full body Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI) scan. Living stature was measured with a stadiometer and total skeletal height (TSH) was
calculated from the MRI measurements. Stature was estimated from the TSH of each participant
using Fully’s (1956), Raxter et al.’s (2006) and Bidmos & Manger’s (2012) methods. Results
indicated strong, statistically significant positive correlations between living and estimated
statures, however, paired t-tests revealed that living stature was significantly underestimated using
Fully’s and Raxter et al.’s methods, while the method by Bidmos & Manger significantly
overestimated stature. A lack of statistically significant correlations between soft tissue correction
factors and the total skeletal height was found.