Course

Anthropometric Measures

Knee Height

Frame Size

Weight for Height

Circumference

Circumference Tables

Body Fat

Body Fat Tables

Lean Body Mass

Abdominal Fatfolds

Anthro Tables

Summary

Resources

Weight

Height and weight are probably the most common measures. Scales used to measure weights should be calibrated regularly. In many cases, the clinician will have a balance beam scale available. The patient should be asked to stand on the base while the clinician can move the large and small weight along the balance beam until the right indicator balances between the up and down position. The lower weight and upper weight should be added together to yield the patient total body weight to the nearest .25 pound. On occasion, a floor scale will be used. The floor scale should be reliable and calibrated. The patient should stand still atop the platform and the reading should be taken at the closest .25 pound. 

Height

     Taking heights and weights allow the clinician to compare the client’s status to an expected height and weight. Height can be measured in a number of ways. The most common method for ambulatory patients is a standing height (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Illustration of Standing Height Measure

This can be measured against a permanent "ruler" attached to a wall or atop a balance beam scale. Either way, the patient should be measured as accurately as possible. Shoes should be removed and the patient may stand with feet together on the floor next to the wall or measuring board or on top of the platform of a balance-beam scale. The patient should stand straight and tall. If standing against a wall, the heel, buttocks, shoulder blades, and head should be touching the wall. While looking straight ahead, a plastic triangle or the balance beam height arm should be placed in the center of the top of the head. While holding the metal arm or plastic triangle still, the patient is then instructed to duck down and step away so that a measurement can be read to the nearest .25 inch.

Sources of error include height with shoes on, tipping or leaning the plastic triangle or metal arm on the balance-beam scale, and slouching by the patient. Additional sources of error are made when using a pencil or other object that can be angled on top of the head during measurement.     

After the age of 50 years old, many patients may actually become shorter in stature when measured by standing height. In some cases the patient may not be able to complete a reliable standing height. For bed bound, elderly, and shaky patients alternate methods are viable. Knee-height and arm span are proportional to standing height in adults and may be used to estimate adult age standing height.

Figure 2. Illustration of Knee-Height Measure

Knee-height calipers are used with the patient lying on their back or in a sitting position. The right leg should be used whenever possible and should be positioned so that the knee and ankle are at 90 degree angles (see Figure 2). The fixed blade of the caliper should then be positioned under the heel and the sliding blade should rest about two inches behind the patella. The shaft of the caliper is held along the line of the tibia (large bone in the front of the lower leg). Once the fit is snug, the locking lever can be pulled up to lock the sliding blade in place. Looking through the "viewing window" the measure should be recorded to the nearest ½ centimeter. Some sources suggest taking two successive measures that agree within 5 millimeters before recording the number. The formulas to estimate height are shown in Figure 3 on the next page.^{1 2}