In this post, we will review how to determine one’s stature.Three different methods can be utilized including taking height measurements, knee height measurements or arm span measurements.
Using the height method, you as the subject will be required to stand against a vertical board and your height measurements will be taken by the examiner.
The arm span method is nearly equivalent to height. The arm span measurement tends to be constant even with increasing age and decreasing height, and thus is considered an efficient method for stature determination. The examiner will require you to stand against a flat surface, for example a wall. You should then stretch your arms at shoulder level and your palms should face forward. The examiner will place a tape measure against the wall to obtain measurements between the tip of one middle finger and the tip of the other middle finger (with the exclusion of fingernails). For children between 0- 3 years, this measurement is normally taken when in supine position.
Of relevance, however, the arm span measurements may provide rather inaccurate results if taken from certain persons, especially amongst elderly persons who may be incapable of stretching their arms fully and who may possibly have complications such as osteoporosis and lung disease that may interfere with the accuracy of chest measurements.
The knee height method is utilized among persons who cannot stand upright. This measurement is more precise since it is not significantly impacted with increasing age. The knee length measurement is performed using a sliding, broad-blade caliper. The measurement is taken from the base of foot to the top of the knee. To determine height using knee height measurements, different formulas can be used including:
For males: height = 2.12 × knee height + 59.06 (cm)
For females: height = 2.09 × knee height + 57.37 (cm)
There are various methods to determine stature. Each method’s use depends on various factors.The most common is the height method but the other methods are also applicable and accurate.