How to Measure the Height of a Human

You can measure height with a tape measure.

The height of a human is useful information in terms of charting growth or measuring the progression of certain diseases that result in decreasing height, such as osteoporosis. Although height measurements are performed often, they are not always done accurately. You can measure an individual's height accurately by following a few basic procedures.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Remove any shoes or socks.

2. Stand on a floor that does not have carpeting and next to a wall that does not have a baseboard or chair-rail molding.

3. Stand with your back to the wall. Position your feet together with your heels touching the wall.

4. Look straight ahead and keep your shoulders level.

5. Ask someone to place a flat object, such as a ruler, on top of your head so that it forms a 90 degree angle with the wall. Ask the person to mark the wall where the flat object touches it with a pencil.

6. Move away from the wall and measure the space from the floor to the marked place with a tape measure. Record your height to the nearest 1/8 of an inch or to the nearest 1/10 of a centimeter.

References

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Administration for Children and Families: Measuring Height Accurately At Home