Griths or Circumferences

 

Home

Definitions and Illustrations of Girth
or Circumference Sites:


Technique
  1. All measurements should taken at least twice, but no more than three times.
  2. Take a third measurement if the first two are not within 2%
  3. For data reduction:

    4.
    1. If two girths are taken, average the two.
    2. If three girths are taken, and two are within 2%, average those two.
    3. If three girths are taken and all demonstrate equal variance, average the three.

  4. When putting the tape measure around the site,
    1. Make sure the tape is not too tight to condense skin
    2. The tape is parallel around the entire site.
      Click on the Quicktime movies below to view the incorrect procedures
      3. Correct
      Incorrect
Girths or Circumferences:

Wrist
      Minimal girth just distal to the styloid processes of the radius and ulna.

Forearm
      Maximal girth with the elbow extended and the hand supinated.
Upper arm girth, extended and relaxed
      With the arm extended and abducted to horizontal, the tape is placed around it halfway between the acromion process and the elbow joint (modified from Carter, 1982).

Arm flexed
     With the arm at a right angle at the elbow, place the tape halfway as described above.

Biceps flexed
     Maximal girth of the mid-arm when flexed to the greatest angle with the underlying muscles fully contracted.

Neck
      Just inferior to the larynx.

Mesosternale
      With the subject's arms slightly abducted, the tape is placed horizontally around the chest at the level of the fourth costosternal articulation. The subject, with the arms relaxed and slightly abducted, is asked to breath normally. During a pause between normal expiration and inspiration the measurement should be taken.

Abdomen1
      Laterally, midway between the lowest lateral portion of the rib cage and the iliac crest, and anteriorly, midway between the xiphoid process of the sternum and the umbilicus. This level is the natural waist and is readily identified as the point of minimal abdominal width when the side profiles are slightly concave.

Abdomen 2
      Laterally, at the level of the iliac crests, and anteriorly, at the umbilicus.

Hips
      Anteriorly, at the level of the symphysis pubis, and posteriorly, at the maximal protrusion of the gluteal muscles.

Thigh
      Maximal thigh girth just below the gluteal fold

Calf
      Maximal girth.



The girths are as described in Behnke and Wilmore (1974) except for relaxed arm and mesosternale, which are described in Carter (1982).

This page was last updated 17 March 2003
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~k561/
Webmaster: Janet P. Wallace, PhD, FACSM
Contact:wallacej@indiana.edu
Copyright 1998, The Trustees of Indiana University