The height of an adult can be estimated based on the knee height. This can be useful if the person has spinal deformities or contractures affecting standing height. It also can simplify measurement of a bedridden or handicapped patient.
Measurement:
(1) The knee and ankle joints should be bent to 90°.
(2) Measure the distance from the bottom of the foot to the anterior of the knee. This measurement need to be taken consistently, since the knee has some length. Based on some trials, the equations appear to use the top of the knee (with knee and ankle at 90°, the distance from the plane of the top of the thigh to the bottom of the foot).
Adult White Females
Han (1996)
height of white females 22-71 years old in cm =
= (1.84 * (knee height in cm)) + 70.2
Adult White Males
Chumlea (1992)
height of white males 60-80 years old in cm =
= (2.08 * (knee height in cm)) + 59.01
Chumlea (1994)
height of white males 18-60 years old in cm =
= (1.88 * (knee height in cm)) + 71.85
Han (1996)
height of white males 17-67 years old in cm =
= (2.31 * (knee height in cm)) + 51.1
Adult Black Females
Chumlea (1992)
height of black women 60-80 years old in cm =
= (1.96 * (knee height in cm)) + 58.72
Adult Black Males
Chumlea (1992)
height of black males 60-80 years old in cm =
= (1.37 * (knee height in cm)) + 95.79
Chumlea (1994)
height of black males 18-60 years old in cm =
= (1.79 * (knee height in cm)) + 73.42
