Girth measurement By Dr. Sachi mevada (Masters in Physiotherapy of Cardio-pulmonary disorders )

Girth measurement

1. Girth
measurement
BY DR.SACHI MEVADA

2. Anthropometry
Girth measurement is a part of Anthropometry
assessment.
Anthropometry means
Anthropo - human
metry - measurements.
what is Anthropometry?
The measurement of traits that describe body
dimensions or are a series of quantitative
measurements of the muscle, bone, and adipose tissue
used to assess the composition of the body.

3. Areas to measure
Body Size & Structure
* Lengths
* Weight
* Girths (circumference)
* Breadths (Widths)
* Volume.
Body Composition
* BMI, W/H ratio, Skin fold thicknes

4. Tape
measuring tape is a flexible ruler used to measure size
or distance.
Uses of tapes:
1.assessing girth measurements,
2.accurately locate skinfold sites
3.mark distances from bony landmarks

5. Girth Measurement
Girths are circumference measures at standard
anatomical sites around the body.
It is measured with a tape and can be used in
determining body size, composition and to monitor
changes in these parameters.

6. Advantages
* Relatively accurate.
* The calculations
can easily be
performed.
* Low costs involved
in the testing
procedure
* For many sites the
measurement can be
self administered
Disadvantages
* It does not work
well on lean
individuals
* Some individuals
may not feel
comfortable.

7. Pre-Test
* Explain the procedures, Prepare forms and
record basic information such as age, height, body
weight, gender.
Procedure
* The site to be measured has to be marked. When
recording, make sure the tape is not too tight or
too loose. It must be flat on the skin, and
horizontal.
Reliability
* It depends on the tester, tension on the tape,
and correct land marking

8. Head Circumference
The head circumference is determined by
measuring the greatest occipitofrontal
circumference (from the occipital prominence to
the frontal prominence - taking the biggest
measurement of three).
Average HC: 35 cm at birth (13.5 in).
HC increases: 1 cm per month for first year (2
cm per month for first3 months, then slower'

9. Head Circumference

10. Neck Girth
Tape is located perpendicular to the long axis of
the neck superior to larynx.

11. Chest circumference

* Chest should be bare. The subject must stand in
normal erect posture. The measurement is taken
from under the axilla and around the chest,
passing by xyphoid process:
* Just below the axillary fold.
* At the level of nipple.
* ⁠at xyphoid process

12. Chest circumference

13. Waist and Abdominal
circumference
Measurement of Waist (Girth) circumference
Measurement is taken from the narrowest part of
the torso that is halfway between the 12th rib and
the iliac crest. The subject should stand
comfortably erect with hands by the side and must
not be contracting any muscles.
Abdominal Girth
It is the perimeter distance around the torso at the
level of umbilicus. Abdominal muscles should not
be contracted.

14. Waist and Abdominal
circumference

15. Gluteal circumference
Subject stands with minimal clothing, with feet
together and no intentional muscle contraction.
Tape is placed compressing overlying clothing but
not the soft tissue. It is the perimeter at level of
greater posterior protuberance of gluteals. It is
also known as buttock or hip circumference.

16. Gluteal circumference

17. Upper limb circumference
Measurement of upper arm circumference
Midpoint of the distance from the acromion
process of the shoulder to the tip of the olecranon
process of the mid-elbow.
First, the upper arm length is measured using bone
landmarks, and the midpoint distance is marked
for the circumference measurement.

18. Upper limb circumference
Measurement of forearm circumference
Measure all the way around the thickest part of
your forearm (circumference)
Measurement of wrist circumference
Wrist Girth measurement is a circumference
measure around the wrist a point just distal to the
styloid processes.

19. Upper limb circumference

20. Lower limb circumference
Measurement of Thigh circumference
* Thigh circumference
* Measure the largest part of the thigh at the top.
* Proximal or Upper Thigh Girth: About icm below
the gluteal fold and horizontal to the long axis of
femur.
* Mid Thigh: Measurement is taken from inguinal
crease to the proximal border of patella.
* Distal Thigh: It is measured from just proximal to
femoral condyles.

21. Lower limb circumference
Measurement of circumference of the knee
Muscle Bulk Measurement:
at the maximal diameter of the muscle
Swelling around the knee joint
- at middle of patella
-below the patella 5cm
-above the patella 5cm

22. Lower limb circumference
Measurement of calf circumference
purpose: To measure the circumference of the
calf, as a measure of the underlying musculature
and adipose tissue.
Girth measurements combined with skinfold
measurements can give a clearer picture of
changes in tissue composition and distribution of
muscle and fat.
The measurement is taken at the level of the
largest circumference of the calf.
advantages: low costs involved in the testing
procedure, and ease of self testing

23. Lower limb circumference
Measurement of ankle circumference
* Ankle circumference
* Measure the ankle in the smallest part of the
ankle, just above the ankle bone
Measurement of foot circumference
* Arch circumference is the length from a point on
top of the foot, down around and over the highest
point in the foot arch, and back to the same point
on the top of the foot.

24. Lower limb circumference

25. Thank you !