Even the Physicians can't get dating bruises right!

[Dan Sullivan]

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Dje ... =clnk&cd=6

http://tinyurl.com/khjy9

"Classically, textbooks have suggested that bruises
undergo a clearly defined course of color changes
with age; however, when comparing the color
schemes between textbooks, there is no general consensus
on the duration of each stage of color or the
exact sequence of color changes.4,5
Two major studies, using photographs of bruises,
have investigated the color changes of bruises with
age and the ability to date the time of injury. Langlois
and Gresham6 studied 369 photographs of bruises
(participants aged 10–100 years) of varying ages and
assessed them for the presence of particular colors.
On the basis of this study, they concluded that age of
a bruise could not be determined consistently from
color alone, although bruises that displayed yellow
color were found to be
48 hours old."

And in Conclusion,

"Physician estimates of bruise age within 24 hours
are inaccurate and seem to be not much better than
chance alone. Within larger time frames, physicians
may be accurate; however, given the large individual
variability and poor interrater reliability, caution
must be used when interpreting these estimates. This
is highlighted by the fact that the observers could not
even agree on the individual colors seen or the presence
of tenderness or swelling for a given injury. This
study supports earlier studies, urging extreme caution
in estimating bruise age, even when such estimates
are based on direct examination of the injured
area."