Pearson published equations in 1899 for estimating the height of human adults from long bone measurements.
standing height of an adult in centimeters =
= (base equation) + (factor for type of bone)
Standing Height of Adult Men in Centimeters
Base Equation |
Factor for Wet Bone (with cartilage) |
Factor for Dry Bone (without cartilage) |
(1.88 * (length of femur in cm)) + |
79.971 |
81.306 |
(2.894 * (length of humerus in cm)) + |
69.454 |
70.641 |
(2.376 * (length of tibia in cm)) + |
77.547 |
78.664 |
(3.271 * (length of radius in cm)) + |
85.205 |
85.925 |
(1.22 * (length of femur in cm)) + (1.080 * (length of the tibia in cm)) + |
70.069 |
71.443 |
(1.03 * (length of femur in cm)) + (1.557 * (length of humerus in cm)) + |
67.027 |
68.397 |
NOTE: The factors for wet and dry bone for adult males are the reverse of that shown in the equations on page 395 of Moritz (1954). The presence of cartilage on wet bone makes the bone length longer, so the factor should be larger for dry bone. This relation is what is given in the female equations.
Standing Height of Adult Women in Centimeters
Base Equation |
Factor for Wet Bone (with cartilage) |
Factor for Dry Bone (without cartilage) |
(1.945 * (length of femur in cm)) + |
71.163 |
72.844 |
(2.754 * (length of humerus in cm)) + |
70.046 |
71.475 |
(2.352 * (length of tibia in cm)) + |
73.369 |
74.774 |
(3.343 * (length of radius in cm)) + |
80.189 |
81.224 |
(1.117 * (length of femur in cm)) + (1.125 * (length of the tibia in cm)) + |
67.939 |
69.561 |
(1.339 * (length of femur in cm)) + (1.027 * (length of humerus in cm)) + |
65.763 |
67.435 |
Specialty: Clinical Laboratory