9/28/2014

Anthropometrics Notes
Disclaimer: The information on this page has not been checked by an independent person. Use this information at your own risk.
ROYMECH

Metric Handbook
David Littlefield,...
Buy New

Click arrows to page adverts

Privacy Information

Home
Human Factors Home
Anthropometric Notes
This page provides notes relating to human sizes and links to sites providing data on human measurements and interfaces.
Safety Note
The following data is for guidance and is not for detailed design.
In designing any equipment requiring manual handling one is advised to refer the the relevant regulations. Refer to.

HSE Info

Useful Dimensions ..A page on this website with some useful human related dimensions
Anthropometric Data
Introduction
This data provides information on the sizes of British ?? people between the ages of 18 to 65.
the following reasons

It can only be used to give rough ideas of people sizes for

1. The statistical sizes vary with age the average height for an elderly person would be up to 80mmm lower than
that for a younger person
2. People sizes vary significantly for different nationalities, i.e Americans are generally larger than British who
are larger than people from India.
3. Over time the average sizes of people change. If you are designing a doorway for the average person today it
may be too small for the average person in 80 years time .
4. Over time the ethnic make up of a population can change e.g. in the UK at this time there is a rapid growth in
the population as people imigrate into the UK from overseas, Also the average population is aging. This
could possibly result is a reduction in the average peoply sizes- contradicting 3) above
5. Importantly - the relevant target group may be significantly different to the general population. Designing
equipment for a basket ball team would require totally different set of data to that for the general population

The table relates to British person age 19 to 65 .

The 5% percentile indicates that 5% of people are smaller than the sizes given. The 95% percentile indicates that 95% of people are smaller than the
sizes given. Therefore the size range show the mid 90% range of people sizes in the UK. The average values is simply the mean of these to values
The data relates to people wearing the minimum of clothing and wearing no footwear.
shoes and about 45mm for female shoes.

In height allowances it is prudent to allow about 25mm for male

Important Note:
The numbers I present in the table below are not directly obtained from any source. I have referred to a number of information sources, which I
identify, below and used interpreted/interpolated values. These are of the top of my head values which I believe are just as relevant for
general/rough use as formal statistical data derived from specific groups at specific times, using specific methods. For formal design work
requiring justification of data it is important to use quality information such as
The Openerg website Database Peoplesize - This is probably the best current source of this information (at a cost). or
DTI document "Adultdata" by L/Peebles/B Norris (1998) if you get hold of it - I referred to a copy about 2 years ago in my local library.
The table below is not based on any data included in these two reference sources.

Reference Information
1) Metric Design Handbook Planning and Design Data 2nd Ed.edited by D. Adler, Architectural Press. (Latest version linked above.)
2) Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics and the Design of Work, 2nd Ed,by Stephen Pheasant, Taylor & Francis Ltd;
3) Fitting the Task to the man, by Etienne Grandjean, 4th Ed 1988 ,Taylor & Francis
4) PD ISO/TR 7250-2:2010 :Basic human body measurements for technological design Part 2: Statistical summaries of body measurements from
individual ISO populations...Provides dimensions for populations in certain countries .Not UK. But German seem close to UK
5) BS EN ISO 7250:1998 : Basic human body measurements for technological design.. Provides basis for measurements

http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Human/Human_sizes.html

1/3

9/28/2014

Anthropometrics Notes
6) Link to Anthropometry - Belgium ...Anthropometric information for 2005 Belgium population... (similar to UK)
8) Human dimensions in Workplace design...Some anthropometric data (imperial sizes)..US information.
9) Design Bites -Human Factors and Aesthetics ....Very useful - includes 50th percentile dimensions.

Dimension s

Man (Percentiles)

Women (Percentiles)

5%

50%

95%

5%

50%

95%

1- Height

1630

1745

1860

1510

1620

1730

2-Eye

1520

1640

1760

1410

1515

1620

3-Shoulder Height

1340

1445

1550

1240

1330

1420

4-Elbow Height

1020

1100

1180

950

1020

1090

5-Hip Height

850

935

1020

750

820

890

6-Knuckle Height (Fist grip height)

700

765

830

670

720

770

7-Fingertip Height

600

675

730

560

620

680

8-Sitting Height

860

915

970

800

855

910

9-Sitting Eye Height

740

800

860

700

750

800

10-Sitting Shoulder

570

615

660

530

580

630

11-Sitting Elbow Height

210

250

290

190

235

280

12-Thigh Thickness

130

155

180

120

150

180

13-Buttock-Knee Length

560

605

670

520

585

650

http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Human/Human_sizes.html

2/3

9/28/2014

Anthropometrics Notes
14-Buttock-popliteal length

450

510

570

440

500

560

15-Knee Height

490

535

580

460

595

530

16-Popliteal Height (Lower leg Length)

410

450

490

370

410

450

17-Shoulder Breadth (Bideltoid)

440

485

530

390

440

490

18-Shoulder Breadth (Biacromial)

370

405

440

340

365

390

19-Hip Breadth

350

390

430

350

405

460

20-Chest Depth

210

245

280

210

250

290

21-Abdominal Depth

220

275

330

200

270

340

22-Shoulder-Elbow Length

330

365

400

300

330

360

23-Elbow Fingertip Length

440

475

510

400

430

460

24-Upper Limb Length

730

790

850

650

715

780

25-Shoulder Grip Length

680

745

810

620

685

750

26-Head Length

190

200

210

170

185

200

27-Head Breadth

140

155

170

140

150

160

28-Hand Length

170

190

210

160

175

190

29-Hand Breadth

80

90

100

70

80

90

30-Foot Length

240

265

290

220

240

260

31-Foot Breadth

90

100

110

80

90

100

32-Span

1670

810

1950

1520

1650

1780

33-Elbow Span

870

845

1020

780

855

930

34-Vertical Reach

1950

2100

2250

1810

1940

2070

35-Vertical Reach (sit)

1220

1305

1390

1100

1190

1280

36-Forward Grip Reach (Standing)

720

790

860

660

725

790

Hand capacities....( Average male )

Pictures showing same Information

Maximum height of reachNote: As a very general rule the maximum height of reach = 1,24 x Body Length..
Sex
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female

Stature
Tall
Average
Short
Tall
Average
Short

Percentile
95
50
5
95
50
5

To Fingertip(mm)
2310
2180
2040
2120
2000
1890

Grasping Height (mm)

2190
2060
1920
2020
1900
1790

Links to Sites releated to anthropometry

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

OpenErg ...A site provide a comprehensive detailed database for anthropometric information (at a cost)
Design Bites -Human Factors and Aesthetics ....Very useful document 4.00 only lots of relevent info.
Anthropometry - Belgium ...Anthropometric information for 2005 Belgium population...
Anthrokids...Database of anthrometric/strength of US children 4 to 18 years old. (Massive quantity of information)
Wikipedia - Anthropometry...Some very interesting background information.
Anthropometric Data...A downloadable document providing lots of data similar to above.
Summary of Database of Anthropometrics of US Military personnel (1995)...US Military document
DOE-HDBK-1140-2001 .. USA DOE - Pt. 3 Workspace, Storage and Workshop Design- Access and equipment design data (1.3MB pdf)

Human Body
Measurements
Man Human

This Page is being developed

Home
Human Factors Home
Send Comments to Roy Beardmore
Last Updated 10/01/2013

http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Human/Human_sizes.html

3/3